68 DISSECTION OF THE DOG 



uteri). From the fundus spring the two cornua, in the form of two slightly 

 curved, diverging tubes which reach almost to the kidneys. 



Suspending the uterus are two broad duphcatures of peritoneum — the 

 broad ligaments (ligamentum latum uteri) — reflected from the sublumbar 

 region onto the dorsal borders of the cornua and the lateral borders of the 

 body. The broad ligaments are divergent and bound a peritoneal cavity, the 

 recto-uterine excavation (excavatio recto-uterina [Cavum Douglasi]), in which 

 the terminal part of the colon is lodged. The ligaments, continued 

 beyond the extremities of the uterine cornua, are associated with the uterine 

 tubes and the ovaries. The terms mesometrium, mesosalpinx, and mesovarium 

 are applied to the parts of the ligament connected with the uterus, tube, and 

 ovary respectively. The lateral surface of each broad ligament bears a secondary 

 peritoneal duplicature, in the free edge of which is a feeble fibrous cord, 

 traceable into the inguinal canal, and known as the round ligament of the uterus 

 (ligamentum teres uteri). If the round ligament be followed down the canal, 

 it will be found to end in the region of the vulva by blending with the skin. 



Ovarium. — Seeing that this organ is completely enclosed within the ovarian 

 bursa (bursa ovarii) , the examination of the ovary necessitates a certain amount 

 of dissection. The mesovarium appears to continue the mesometrium to 

 the end of the kidney. If the medial and ventral part of the membrane is 

 examined, a narrow and short slit-like opening, leading into the ovarian bursa, 

 will be found. Bounding the opening there are two folds, the medial of 

 which is traceable to the kidney. The lateral fold is attached to the convex 

 border of the kidney and the last rib. 



The ovarian bursa should be opened up and the ovary exposed. Each 

 ovary is a flattened, oval body, placed on a level with the third or fourth lumbar 

 vertebra. Owing to the difference in the level of the two kidneys, the left 

 ovary is often close to the kidney of its own side, but a space nearly always 

 intervenes between the right ovary and the corresponding kidney. Connecting 

 the ovary to the end of the uterine cornu is a ligamentous band, the proper 

 ligament of the ovary (ligamentum ovarii proprium). 



Tuba uterlna. — The uterine or Fallopian tube is nearly straight. Its 

 wide ovarian end is funnel-shaped (infundibulum tubse uterinse) and opens 

 into the peritoneal cavity by the ostium abdominale tubce. The margin of the 

 abdominal ostium is fringed by irregular processes, the fimbria} tubas. The 

 narrow uterine extremity penetrates the wall at the end of the cornu of the 

 uterus and communicates with the uterine cavity by the ostium uterinum 

 tubce. 



The examination of the interior of the uterus had better be postponed until 

 the interior of the vagina can be exposed. 



If the subject is a male, the distribution of the constituents of the spermatic 



