520 
MR. RAINEY ON THE ROUND LIGAMENT OF THE UTERUS. 
velopment, it is as impossible that these fibres of the impregnated uterus can return 
again to their primitive or embryonic condition, as that a full-formed foetus could 
relapse into the state of an ovum, they must necessarily become absorbed, and there- 
fore a new set of embryonic fibres would require to be formed for the expulsion of the 
next ovum, so that each foetus will have, according to this conclusion, its own pecu- 
liar expulsory fibres. This view is perfectly in accordance with the late researches 
of Drs. Sharpey and Weber on the membrana decidua ; and it agrees with the same 
function in vegetables, in which the part corresponding to the uterus in animals is 
always cast off after its contents have been brought to maturity, and separated from 
the parent plant. 
Description of the Plate. 
PLATE XXXIX. 
Fig. 1. Represents some muscular fibres taken from the central part of the round 
ligament of the uterus of the human subject, where it is situated between 
the layers of the broad ligament. 
Fig. 2. Represents some muscular fibres taken from a part of the round ligament 
nearer to the uterus than those shown in fig. 1 : there the termination of the 
striated fibres in fasciculi of granular ones is shown. 
Fig. 3. Represents nucleated fibres taken from the iinimpregnated human uterus, and 
the granular matrix in which they are imbedded. 
Fig. 4. Represents fibres taken from the impregnated human uterus at the eighth 
month of pregnancy. 
