THE PERINEUM 



353 



uterus, and a utero-rectal pouch behind it. It also extends over 

 the tubes, ovaries, and round ligaments at the sides, thus making 

 the folds called the broad ligaments, which connect the uterus with 

 the sides of the pelvic cavity. 



The utero-rectal pouch is the pouch of Douglas (or Douglas's 

 cul-de-sac). It is the lowest part of the peritoneal cavity, ex- 

 tending down an inch or more behind the vagina. 



Note. The pelvis of the infant (see Fig. 48), is undeveloped 

 and the pelvic organs lie 

 partly in the abdomen. As 

 growth advances they are fi- 

 nally contained in the pelvis, 

 at about the fourteenth year. 



Perineum. The name 

 perineum properly signifies 

 the parts bounded by the out- 

 let of the pelvis, but we gen- 

 erally apply it to the portion 

 in front of the rectum. 



In the female perineum, 

 the part between the lower 

 ends of the vagina and rectum 

 is the perineal body. This is 

 a triangular body composed 

 of connective tissue and adi- 

 pose, the base of the triangle being covered by skin and measuring 

 about one inch, between the vulva and the anus. It contains 

 several muscles, some of which are connected with the sphincter ani. 



The perineum is distensible, and stretches to a remarkable 

 extent during labor. 



From the male perineum a pouch of skin and fascia is suspended, 

 called the scrotum. The fascia contains scattered muscle fibers 

 and is called the dartos. 



The scrotum contains the testes which are two in number, the 

 right and the left. They consist essentially of minute tubes in 

 which the seminal fluid is secreted, and which open into larger 

 ones leading to the duct of the testis, or the ductus deferens. 



The function of the testis is the formation of spermatozoa (or 

 spermid) from the cells which line the tubes. 

 23 



FIG. 228. SHOWING TESTIS AND DUCTUS 

 DEFERENS SUSPENDED BY SPERMATIC CORD. 

 (Holdtn.) 



