270 Anatomy Applied to Medicine and Surgery. 



side to the white line of pelvic fascia. This muscle arches 

 backwards, in a triangular manner, so that the apex of the 

 triangle is situated at the side and posterior portion of the 

 rectum. The supporting action of the levator ani is seen 

 in the female especially, since, in addition to the rectum, 

 the urethra and the vagina have to be supported by this 

 muscle, the anterior fasciculi serving to draw forwards 

 the lower part of the bowel and thus indirectly act as 

 closures of the vagina, while the posterior fasciculi simply 

 hold the bowel up. 



The Bladder is divided into a summit, a body, a 

 base and a neck. The summit is directed towards the 

 umbilicus when the bladder is distended, and is connected 

 to it by the urachus ; the body has in front of it, the pos- 

 terior surface of the symphysis pubis, the triangular liga- 

 ment and portions of the internal obturator muscles. The 

 posterior surface corresponds to the rectum in the male, 

 and to the uterus in the female, being separated from 

 them by some convolutions of the small intestine. Along 

 the sides of the bladder are the vasa deferentia, which pass 

 in an arched manner, from before backwards, and, crossing 

 the obliterated hypogastric arteries, lie along the inner 

 side of the ureters near their termination in the bladder. 

 The base is directed downwards and backwards, and, in 

 the male, rests on the second part of the rectum, from 

 which it is separated, behind, by a reflection of the peri- 

 toneum the recto-vesical fold and, in front, by the 

 recto-vesical layer of the pelvic fascia. The parts separ- 

 ated by this recto-vesical fascia correspond to the triangle 

 bounded by the vasa deferentia and vesiculse seminales 

 laterally, and by the reflected fold of peritoneum, men- 

 tioned above, posteriorly. The base of the bladder, in the 

 female, rests on the lower part of the cervix uteri and on 

 the anterior wall of the vagina. The neck of the bladder 



