252 SPECIAL ANATOMY. 



verse folds, look like a palm leaf (plica palmata, arbor vita uteri), and after 

 one pregnancy (not always) disappear. 



3. The serous coat. The external surface of the uterus is covered by peri- 

 toneum, in front as far as the commencement, behind deeper downwards, to 

 the middle of the cottum, which, from the urinary bladder to the uterus, forms 

 ligg. vesico-uterina, and, passing from this over upon the rectum, it forms ligg. 

 recto-uterina. On the sides of the Uterus the peritoneum forms two folds: 



The broad ligaments of the uterus, ligg. uteri lata, which pass transversely 

 from the internal surface of the external pelvic w r all (at the pelvic inlet) to 

 the Uterus, and each (of the two) consists of two layers, between which are 

 situated at the superior free border the tuba ; under that the lig. ovarii; and 

 behind that the ovarium itself, whereby an expansion like a bat's wing arises, 

 ala vespertilionis. Before the broad ligaments an actual fibrous band lies on 

 either lateral border of the uterus : 



Lig. uteri rotundum s. crus uteri, round ligament of the uterus, which goes 

 off from the uterus close under the tuba, consists, like this, of muscular tissue, 

 and is placed in a particular fold of the anterior layer of lig. uteri latum: as- 

 cends externally to the internal inguinal ring, then passes forwards and down- 

 wards through the inguinal canal, covered by a serous sheath and muscular 

 fibres (like m. cremaster), to the mons veneris. It serves for the fixation of the 

 uterus (and, from its large supply of blood, to conduct it to this organ). 



Vessels : Art. uterina are branches of hypogast. or umbilicalis ; pass in a very 

 serpentine course, and often anastomose with spermatica intern. Veins: plex. 

 uterini open into the vv. uterina and spermatica; they form sinuses in the sub- 

 stance of the mucous membrane. Lymphatics ; very numerous and strong, 

 especially upon the surface ; passing between the lig. lata, they open into the 

 plex. hypogastric. 



Nerves: branches of plex. hypogastricus superior (of sympathic^, and lateralis 

 (of sympath. and sacral nerves) ; they enter the substance of the Uterus. 



Function of the Uterus: 1. Formation of the embryo. 2. Se- 

 paration of the menstrual blood [probably from veins]. 



487. 4. The Vagina, 



a membranous cylinder from three to seven inches long, one inch 

 wide, flattened and curved from behind forwards, is situated 

 between the bladder and rectum, vulva and uterus, and forms 

 with the last a concave angle forwards. 



The superior, widest portion, fundus s. fornix vaginas, sur- 

 rounds, intimately united to it, the vaginal portion of the neck of 

 the Uterus. The inferior, narrow extremity, surrounded by m. 

 constrictor vaginse, forms the entrance to the Vagina, introitus 

 vaginas, which is partly closed by a crescentic fold of mucous 

 membrane lying at the inferior border (the membrane of the virgin, 

 Hymen). (As the remains of the Hymen, torn during copulation, 

 we observe two to five small lobules, the so-called, carunculx 

 myrtiformes ; according to Lauth they are, however, present close 

 to'the Hymen. The Hymen is sometimes found, notwithstanding 

 the performance of coitus ; but it is sometimes wanting even in 

 the newly-born). The anterior wall rather concave, shorter than 



