INTERXAL OKGAXS OF GENERATION. II 



membrane of the uterus. A rich venous network is lodged in the 

 muscular tunic of this organ. 



The miicdus hiyer is a thin, dehcate, pulpy membrane, covered by 

 ciliated columnar epithelium in the body and cornua of the organ, 

 ordinary cylindrical squamous or stratified epithelium in the canal of 

 the cervix, like that of the intestines, and tessellated or squamous on 

 the rugae of the cervix. This ditlers from ordinary mucous mem- 

 brane in the presence of a very delicate sub-mucous connective tissue, 

 in which the utricular glands, blood and lymph vessels, as well as nei-ves 

 supplying the membrane, are situated ; for this reason it appears to 

 receive its vascular supply directly from the muscular coat, its vessels 

 being continuous with those of that layer. This difference is probably 

 related to its intermittent, though higher, organising function. 



In the cervix, the basement membrane covers multitudes of villi, the 

 points of which in woman are nipple-shaped, with a depression in the 

 centre ; within the cervix tliese villi are very large, but in the body of 

 the organ there are none. The membrane here is remarkable for the 

 series of longitudinal rugic formed on it, and which are not effaced by 

 ordinary distention of the organ ; though they disappear during the 

 increase in size of its cavity in pregnancy. On these ruga^ and in the 

 fosste between them, particularly towards the cervix, are a great 

 number of simple mucous and special cylindrical glands. The first are 

 particularly abundant towards the cervix ; some here and there have 

 closed mouths, are enlarged, and form small vesicular prominences, 

 which have been named tlie "ova of Naboth " {ovtila NabotJii), from 

 tlieir supposed identity with the ovarian ova. 



The cylindrical, uterine, or wtv'iculsLV glands (qlandiihe iitriculares), are 

 situated close to each other; they are sometimes bifurcated, frequently 

 spiral, and terminate in a cul-de-sac in the substance of the mucous 

 membrane, something like the agminate glands. In the Mare they are 

 long, slender, and tortuous, and divide repeatedly in the deeper part of 

 the mucosa, and in such a manner that numerous branching tubes are 

 connected with a single stem or gland-duct. They are lined by columnar 

 cells, which project vertically into the gland tube : these cells have a 

 ciliary movement. The utricular glands do not exist at birth, and it is 

 probable that they are only fully developed when sexual maturity is 

 reached. At certain periods, as during (tstrum, they throw out a large 

 quantity of very viscid, almost transparent, mucus. They are secreting 

 structures, and during gestation play a most important part, becoming 

 largely developed, and furnishing a thin, white, albuminous fluid, tlie 

 so-called " uterine milk.'' This secretion comes more particularly in 

 contact with the intervillous portions of the fcetal placenta, in which are 

 curious pockets that act as receptacles for this milk, which is absorbed 

 by the vessels on their walls. 



The uterus is sujiplied with blood by the uterine and utcro-ovarian 

 arteries, which arise from the posterior aorta, and passing between the 

 layers of the broad ligament reach the uterus. The first divides into 

 two branches — an ovarian and a uterine ; the former is very flexuous and 

 goes to the ovary, while the second passes to the cornua of the uterus, 

 where its ultimate divisions anastomose with those of the proper uterine 

 artery. This vessel, on reaching the smaller curvature of the cornua, 

 also divides into two portions — an anterior, anastomosing its branches 

 with the utero-ovarian ; and a posterior, spreading over the body of the 

 organ and communicating with the artery of the vagina. The blood is 



