VOL. XX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. "259 



cavity of each uterus a considerable way. These uteri are not fastened to the 

 alae, as the ovaria, tubae, and cornua are ; but where they are conjoined near the 

 insertion of the cornua, they adhere very firmly to the neck of the bladder, not 

 easily to be separated from it ; and by membranes to the rectum, where tliey 

 are more separable. So that the neck of the bladder lies over that diaphragm or 

 membrane which parts them into two distinct uteri. Here the body of the 

 uteri seemed to ba about the size of the end of my finger ; or in compass, thus 

 inflated, it measured about 14- inch : hence they were projected towards each 

 side, and not according to the length of the spine, gradually enlarging the in- 

 ternal cavity, as it is extended. For here, about the angle of reflection, it 

 measured in compass 1~ inches. The uteri being thus extended towards each 

 side, about the space of l-f inch, are then reflected back again, towards the 

 neck of the bladder ; and so pass into the two vaginae which lie under the 

 urethra. From this angle of reflection, the cavity of each uterus gradually 

 lessens, and is much smaller than the other part of the uterus. The capacity 

 of each uterus being the largest at the external elbow, where it begins to be 

 reflected ; for here it made, as it were, one common cavity for almost the 

 length of an inch : but on the inside, I observed a membrane projected froriii 

 the internal side of the uteri, just from the corner where the sides of the uteri 

 are doubled, by which this cavity is in part divided ; and for this reason I shall 

 call this membrane, the second, or an imperfect diaphragm of the uteri. 



In these uteri, I observed 4 large trunks of blood-vessels, which ran their 

 whole length, sending from their sides numerous branches, and ramifications 

 all along. These trunks were propagated from the hypogastric and spermatic 

 vessels. I also observed here in these uteri, thus by inflation extended and 

 dried, several fasciculi of muscular fibres, placed at a regular distance from 

 each other, and which also ran the whole length of the uteri, by whose con- 

 traction the foetus may be more easily protruded. 



The 2 uteri empty themselves into the 2 vaginae ; for at this extremity, the 

 uteri, making a turn at the neck of the bladder, are continued thence into the 

 2 vaginae, which lie just under the urethra, and are much of the same length 

 with it, which was about an inch. Their capacity was about the size of a 

 wheat-straw. Both these vaginae and urethra emptied themselves into a com- 

 mon passage, which was as large as all the other 3 ; and about li inch long; 

 it showed reddish, by means of its numerous blood-vessels, and at last had its 

 exit so near the fundament, that when alive, there was not observed any other 

 foramen outwardly, but that which led into the rectum. But on dissection, by 

 elevating the skin here, which seemed to cover it like a valve, I observed the 

 foramen that led into this common passage, and putting a blow-pipe into it, at 



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