PROCEEDINGS 



OF 



THE ROYAL SOCIETY. 



1839. No. 41. 



December 5, 1839. 

 FRANCIS BAILY, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



John Rogers, Jun., Esq. was balloted for, and duly elected into 

 the Society. 



No paper read. 



December 12, 1839. 

 MAJOR SABINE, R.A., V.P., in the Chair. 



George Leith Roupell, M.D., was balloted for, and duly elected 

 into the Society. 



" On the Nerves of the Gravid Uterus." By Robert Lee, M.D., 

 F.R.S. 



The author, while dissecting a gravid uterus of seven months, on 

 the 8th of April, 1838, observed the trunk of a large nerve proceed- 

 ing upwards from the cervix to the body of that organ along with 

 the right uterine vein, and sending off branches to the posterior sur- 

 face of the uterus; some of which accompanied the vein, and others 

 appeared to be inserted into the peritoneum. A broad band, re- 

 sembling a plexus of nerves, was seen extending across the posterior 

 surface of the uterus, and covering the nerve about midway from 

 the fundus to the cervix. On the left side, a large plexus oi nerves 

 was seen, surrounding the uterine veins at the place where they were 

 about to enter the hypogastric vein. From this plexus three large 

 trunks of nerves were seen accompanying the uterine vein, which 

 increased in size as they ascended to the fundus uteri. From the 

 nerve situated on the posterior surface of the vein, numerous fila- 

 ments passed off towards the mesial line, as on the right side ; some 

 following the smaller veins on the posterior surface of the uterus, 

 and others becoming intimately adherent to the peritoneum. The 

 largest of the nerves which accompanied the uterine vein was traced 

 as high as the part where the Fallopian tube enters the uterus ; and 

 there it divided into numerous filaments, which plunged deep into 

 the muscular coat of the uterus along with the vein. A large fasci- 

 culated band, like a plexus of nerves, was also seen on the left side 



