Chap. XVTII.] THE PELVIS. 381 



line. This visceral layer is usually known as the 

 recto-vesical fascia. 



As regards the parietal division, it will be seen 

 that that part of it above the origin of the 

 visceral layer (i.e., above the white line) is in the 

 pelvic cavity, while that part below the line is in the 

 perineum. To this lower segment the name obturator 

 fascia is commonly given. Now, the peritoneum lines 

 some part of the pelvic floor, and covers a great part 

 of the pelvic viscera. Between this peritoneum and 

 the visceral layer of the pelvic fascia is a good deal of 

 loose connective tissue. Inflammation may be set up 

 in this tissue, may spread readily in it, and may 

 of course lead to suppuration. Such suppuration 

 will be limited to the pelvic cavity, and will be 

 hindered from escaping from that cavity by the pelvic 

 fascia. Inflammations of any extent so located are 

 included under the term pelvic cellulitis. Suppura- 

 tion, therefore, above the visceral layer of the pelvic 

 fascia will be limited to the pelvic cavity, while that 

 below the fascia will be limited to the perineum, to 

 either the urethral or the anal segment of that district. 

 Thus it will be seen that the pelvic fascia is of much 

 surgical importance. Wounds through the perineum 

 that involve this fascia will be serious, in that they 

 will open up the loose tissue on the pelvic aspect of 

 the fascia in which inflammation so readily spreads, 

 while unless the fascia be wounded the pelvic cavity 

 cannot be said to have been opened. 



The fascia is so reflected upon the viscera that certain 

 parts of them are excluded by the attachments of the 

 membrane from the pelvic cavity. The parts so ex- 

 cluded are the following : the prostate, the neck of the 

 bladder, all that part of the base of the bladder that 

 is between the seminal vesicles, the seminal vesicles 

 themselves, and about the last two and a half or 

 three inches of the rectum. On the side of the 



