292 Anatomy Applied to Medicine and Surgery. 



ficial and the deep layers of the deep triangular ligament. 

 If pus form it may burrow along, or among the fibres of 

 the levator ani down to the ischio-rectal fossa, or since the 

 deep layer of the ligament is formed by a portion of the 

 pelvic fascia, it may spread into the pelvis along this fas- 

 cia. Should, however, the urethra be ruptured at the 

 junction of the membranous with the bulbous portion, 

 then the urine is contained between the triangular liga- 

 ment and the deep layer of the superficial fascia. It can- 

 not pass backwards because of the junction of these two 

 structures immediately behind the transversus perinei 

 muscle. It cannot enter the pelvis because of the ob- 

 struction offered by the triangular ligament, nor can it 

 extend laterally into the inner aspects of the thigh, since 

 both the floor and the roof of the space are attached to the 

 rami of the pubes and ischium, so that, the only course 

 available, is for it to pass forwards, and this it does readily, 

 because of the fact that the roof, i.e., the deep layer of the 

 superficial fascia is continuous with the dartos of the 

 scrotum. The urine, therefore, infiltrates the tissues of 

 the scrotum beneath the dartos and then extends on to the 

 abdomen, beneath the deep layer of the superficial fascia, 

 which is continuous with the dartos, and, since the deep 

 layer of the superficial fascia of the abdomen is adherent 

 at both the median line and immediately below Poupart's 

 ligament, to the deep fascia, it follows that the only chan- 

 nel, whereby the urine or pus can reach the abdomen, is 

 the space between the pubic spine and the symphysis. 



Rectal Examination in the Male. On inserting 

 the finger into the rectum the opposition offered to it by the 

 external sphincter will be at once noticed. Immediately 

 above this, for the distance of about one inch, the action 

 of the internal sphincter will be manifest. A little over 

 one inch from the anus the lateral edges of the levator ani 



