THE ABDOMEN, INTERIOR. 537 



the female carefully note the relations, position of bladder, uterus, uterine lig- 

 aments, ovaries, tubes, and rectum. Trace the round ligaments, ureters, 

 ovarian and uterine arteries. See the Dissection of Perineum, page 397 

 male, and 422 female. 



The Bladder. Figs. 84, 95, 103 to 113. 



The bladder is situated in the pelvic cavity. In the living, 

 when empty it is probably round ; when distended, oval. 

 When empty it lies entirely behind the symphysis ; if mod- 

 erately distended, reaches to the top ; if fully distended, 

 may reach two inches above the symphysis, and in patho- 

 logical distention may extend to or even above the umbili- 

 cus. When distended the long axis of the bladder is paral- 

 lel with a line connecting the umbilicus and the anus. 



Peritoneal Covering-. From the anterior abdominal 

 wall the peritoneum extends on to the top, sides, and down 

 the back of the bladder to within an inch or an inch and 

 a half of the prostate, where it is reflected on to the rectum, 

 forming the rectovesical pouch in the male ; (in the female 

 the peritoneum extends backward on to the uterus, and the 

 fossa is called the uterovesical). 



The reflections of the peritoneum from the bladder to the 

 adjacent walls of the abdomen or viscera are termed " false " 

 ligaments, and they are well named on account of the false 

 impression that they convey of their function and appear- 

 ance. The student needs simply to remember that the blad- 

 der is underneath the pelvic peritoneum and raises it upward 

 as it fills (the loose covering of peritoneum allowing this 

 action, and steadying the bladder when full). 



Retzius' space is the interval between the anterior wall of 

 the bladder and the inner surface of the symphysis pubes, 

 and lower abdominal wall. The extent of space varies with 

 the distention of the bladder. When the bladder is empty 

 the space is obliterated ; when the bladder is very full the 



