GENERATION. 



the round ligaments wliich have been already defcribed, the 

 ovaries, aiul the Fallopiin tubes. 



Tlu- Fallopian or ult-rine tubes are two (a right and left) 

 conical, tortuous, and vermiform canals, arifing from the fu- 

 perior and lateral parts of the uterus. They float loofely in 

 the cavity of the pelvis, being enveloped in the upper and 

 anterior edge of the broad ligament, and fixed by their inner 

 extremities. Their length is four or five inches ; and the 

 direction of their courfe very uncertain : it may be ilated in 

 general that they go tranfverfely outwards, and that they 

 bend backwards at their outer ends, fo as to turn towards 

 the ovaries. But, as they are in great m.eafure loofe, and as 

 the edge of the broad ligament reftrains them but flightly, 

 the inteftines, when dillended with air or aliment, may dif- 

 place them in different direftions. The calibre of the tube 

 is fo narrow towards the uterus, that the orifice by which it 

 communicates with this vifcus will only admit a hog's brillle. 

 It enlarges gradually to the middle, where it is flightly con- 

 trafted, and dilates again to terminate by an aperture which 

 communicates with the cavity of the abdomen. The tube 

 is confiderably broader at its end than at the uterus, but ra- 

 ther narrower than in the portion immediately preceding. 

 The internal membrane of the tube, together with the ex- 

 ternal, which is formed of peritoneum, is produced to fome 

 length beyond this orifice, and forms round it a fringed and 

 radiated kind of ornament, called the fimbriae (pavillori de 

 la trompe ; morceau frange). When this part is examin- 

 ed in water, it has a very beautiful appearance, and feems 

 compofed of fmall feparate leaves, like fome flowers. The 

 breadth of this membranous fringe is not equal at all parts : 

 its circumference has iomewhat of an oval figure. All the 

 portions into which it is divided are not of the fame length : 

 the longell extends to the ovary, and is firmly fixed to its 

 outer extremity, fo that the fringed end of the tube is con- 

 ftantly retained near to that body. The fimbriae are con- 

 ceived to poffefsa mufcular ftrudture. 



The Fallopian tube is compofed: id. Of an external 

 membrane, fiirni(hed by the peritoneum, which covers it as 

 it does the inteftines ; 2. Of an internal, foft and pnlpy 

 membrane, the furface of which prefents every where more or 

 lefs prominent longitudinal lines, confidered by fome authors to 

 be mufcular fibres. Indeed tlie office of the tubes feems to re- 

 quire the exiftence of contraftile fibres in their compofition ; 



3. Of a fpongy tiffuc. compared to that of the urethra and 

 corpus cavernofum, but the real nature of which is not un- 

 deritood. Very numerous blood-veffels are diftributed in 

 this fubftance, which appears to fwell and experience a 

 kind of ereiftion in the aft of copulation : in confequence 

 of this the finibris are applied to the furface of the ovary ; 



4. Of blood-vcffels, derived from the fpermatic arteries and 

 veins, of lymphatics, and nerves fnrnifhed by the renal plexufes. 



That the office of the tabes is immediately connedted with 

 the bufinefs of generation, and that they convey the germ 

 from the ovarium to the uterus, cannot be doubted : but we 

 do not underliand how they execute this function. We may 

 obferv>" that they form a communication between the uterine 

 cavit) and that of the abdomen : aiid, as the former commu- 

 nicates externally through the medium of the vagina, the 

 ferous menibrane of the abdomen lias thus a continuity with 

 the furface of the body : — a circunillance that is obferved 

 in no other inltaiice. 



The ovarLs, called by the ancients the f/jinale tefticles, are 

 two oblong, flattened, and whitilh bodies, placed at the 

 pofterior furface of the broad ligaments, in which they are 

 included. They nearly equal the fize of fmall pigeons' eggs 

 in the adult ; but their flattened form gives them a ditfcrent 

 figure. Their long diameter is placed tranfverfely. They 



prefent two furfaces, two edges, and two extremities. Th": 

 furfaces and the upper edge are loofe, and prefent nothing 

 remarkable except flight tubercular rifings. The inferior 

 margin adheres to the pofterior edge of the broad ligament. 

 The external extremity is connected to the longeft of the 

 Fallopian fimbri;e ; and the ligament of the ovary is attach- 

 ed to the internal end. This ligament is a fmall fibrous cord, 

 about I ,', inch long, contained in the pofterior part of the 

 broad ligament, and fixed to the angle of the uterus behind 

 the Fallopian lube. Some old anatoniifts regarded it as a 

 can:d dollined to convey into tlie uterus the femeii, which 

 tliey fuppofed to be fecreted by the ovaries ; but it is in reali- 

 ty a folid fafciculus, fimilar in its nature to the round liga- 

 ment, and having no other office than that of fixing the ova- 

 rium in its place. Yet the latter organ podefTes confiderable 

 mobility ; its fituation in the broad ligament, which is itfelf 

 moveable, giveo it a power of motion. The inteftines and 

 the urinary bladder may make it change its pofition ; and wc 

 know that it has fometimes been contained in a rupture. 



The ovaria are compofed ; I ft. Of an external membrane, 

 derived from the peritoneum forming the broad ligament; 

 2. Of a proper membrane, of a white colour, and firm 

 fibrous texture, hardly fep;'.rable from the proper tiffue of 

 the organ ; 3. Of a flefiiy fubllance, which is denfe on the 

 outfide, more foft on the infide, where it is greyifli, and in 

 fome degree cellular and fpongy. In this fubilance are 

 lodged fome fmall, roundifh veficles, amounting in number 

 to between fifteen and twenty. Scarcely vifible in infancy ; 

 thefe are very apparent in adult and fruitful women. Ge- 

 nerally, in old women, thefe veficles are no longer vifible, 

 and their place is occupied by hardifli tubercles. The vefi- 

 cles are not all of the fame fize : thofe which are near the fur- 

 face of the organ are as large as hemp-feeds ; while the 

 others, being more deeplv feated, are confidera'bly imaller. 

 Thefe bodies are placed in the cellular- or fpongy iubllance 

 of the ovary, in which they may be faid to beenchafed ; but 

 they form for the moft part fmall prominences under the ex- 

 ternal membrane. Others are completely elevated on tlie 

 furface of the organ, and others again are concealed in tlie 

 interior. They are not fufnendcd by ftalks, nor do they 

 form any particular cells different from the cellular m.atter 

 comprifmg the parenchyma of the ovary. They were very 

 particularly defcribed by De Graaf, and have often been 

 called, after him, ova, or ovula Graafiana. They aie gene- 

 rally regarded as fo many germs, or rudiments of new 

 beings. They are compofed of a fimple and very thin mem- 

 brane, fmooth internally, and containing a clear, fometimes 

 yellow or reddifti liquor, coagulable by heat and alcohol, 

 and forming whit? threads, like the albumen of an egg. 



The arteries of thefe parts are derived from two fources ; 

 •viz. the fpcrmatic branches of the aorta, and the uterine 

 branches of the internal iliacs. The former are more tor- 

 tuous than the correfpondlng veffels in the male ; they pafs 

 between the two layers of peritoneum, which form the broad 

 ligaments, and aie chiefly diftributed to the ovaries. But 

 they fend numerous ramifications to tlie Fallopian tubes ; 

 others to the fides of the uterus, and fome along the round 

 ligaments, which communicate with fmall branchtsof the epi- 

 gallric?;. Tliechiefarteriesof the utcrusarethe uterine branches 

 of the internal iliac trunks ; the right and left. This artery firft 

 runs downw.irds, then turns up at the neck of the uterus, 

 and enters between the layers of the broad ligament. It 

 gives large branches to the vagina, then runs along the fide 

 of the uterus, from the neck towards the fundus, pro- 

 ducing numerous arteries, which ramify overthc organ in every 

 dircttion. Thefe have a tortuous courfe, and cortimunicate 

 freely with each other, and with tliofe of the oppoiite fide.. 



Sum; 



