wall, all of which are observed in the virgin, hut now modified. Two of the tonguelike
folds are opposed to each other in the middle line of the ventral wall, whereas
the azygos fold occurs on the dorsal aspect of the canal and is long and pendulous,
fitting in between the former two. On it are found three or four broad, but thin
lamellar folds of the mucous membrane, while others, less strongly developed, and
even assuming the character of fine rugae clothe the anterior portion of this, and
extend also on to the second fold, beyond which the lamellae become more and more
developed until on the constriction of the third fold they form a fringe of thin plates,
most perfectly formed in the os uteri externum itself. These lamellae in the
virgin are confined to the third fold and to the os uteri. The third fold is so closely
applied to the os uteri externum that it is very apt to be mistaken for it,' but when
it is cut into longitudinally it is found that its orifice anteriorly is not directly
continuous with the os, but that it lies to the right of the latter, the two communicating
through the interspace between them, and which in the specimen before me
is filled with mucus. The wall of the vagina attains its greatest thickness at the first
fold, where it is as much as one and a half inch, while its general thickness is not
more than a quarter of an inch. The os is 0‘75 inch long and is lined with seventeen
broad lamellae, those of opposite sides interlocking with each other. These lamellae
have a special course over the surfaces on which they occur, but their lengths are
very various. In passing over the inwardly projecting folds and over the uterine
opening of the os they attain their greatest breadth, and diminish greatly in the
recesses between the folds. On the second induplication they are much thicker than
in the os uteri externum, and their two surfaces are covered throughout with very
narrow secondary lamellae, which run parallel with their outlines. ' These secondary
la.mp.llflft are much finer and more numerous on the leaf-like folds of the third
induplication and of the os uteri, on which they are not unfrequently connected
to each other by tertiary cross lamellae. In the uterus, the lamellar folds surrounding
the os uteri run up the walls of the uterus, in some instances, for nearly
an inch, where they are continuous with certain permanent folds which occur on
its walls.
Minute structure o f the vaginal glands.—These, as has been stated, are numerous,
and, so far as the microscope reveals, they present a common character. The
glands in great number descend into the submucous tissue as wavy, straight or
branched tubules. A number of these tubules again combine and open into a
kind of sac or glandular reservoir, which relatively large area or open space in
certain aspects of the sections has a stellate configuration, the limbs being short
closed diverticular appendages. The glandular tubules, reservoir, and diverticula
are thickly lined with polygonal epithelium, and this reaches to the surface and is
freely distributed on the vaginal wall (PI. XXXVIII, figs. 9 and 12).
These tubular glands in some respects comport themselves to the disposition
assumed by the true utricular glands of the uterine cavity, but they are straighter
or less contorted than the latter, and are somewhat greater in calibre, and amidst their
epithelium is pigmental matter sufficient to give, the gland layer a dark brownish
tint.^ They, moreover, are distinguished from the utricular glands in possessing the
above-mentioned large open stellate areas or glandular receptacles.
External appearance of the gravid uterus.—The left horn forms the bulk of
the organ and is an oval säe lying obliquely across the abdomen with the left
placed considerably posterior to the right pole. I t measures 17‘75 inches in transverse
length, pole to pole, and its upper border is distant 19-25 inches from the anterior
extremity of the vulva. The right horn depends as a globular pouch from the anterior
surface of the right third of the left horn, close to its posterior border, and the
internal septum which separates the two horns is marked externally by. a .puckering
of the serous covering. This horn measures 12 inches antero-posteriorly and has a
breadth from right to left, when collapsed, of 7‘50 inches.
Cavity of uterus.—The portion below the two horns is cup-shaped, and not more
than 2-50 inches in length, measured from the os uteri internum to the dorsal origin of
the mesial septum, which indicates the lowest limit of the left horn and the opening to
the right horn, but its diameter from the free margin of the mesial septum to the left
wall of the uterine cavity is 5-50 inches. The left horn and the common cavity of the
uterus are thus continuous with one^ another. The right horn, however, occurs as a
diverticulum froril the right side of the common cavity of the uterus, and its entrance
is guarded by two valvular folds of mucous membrane, one the external fold; .which
corresponds in position to the angle formed by the bending backwards of the horn
upon itself, while the internal fold is the mesial septum. The former is a triangular
fold with its broad free margin 5-50 inches in breadth and directed forwards andout-
wards. I t lies between the ventral and dorsal walls of its cavity, and its apex is
directed towards the os uteri internum. I t has an extension of 3-50 inches. The mesial
septum, which is much thinner than the former, is directed inwards and backwards, in
which course it has a length of 5-75 inches, with a bold crescentic free border of ,4’75
inches, arching from the anterior to the posterior walls of the termination of the
common cavity of the uterus. Besides assisting in shutting off the right horn from
the uterine cavity, the mesial septum forms the wall of the right pole of the left
horn. Opposite to the mesial septum and continuous with the left wall of the
common cavity of the uterus is another septum corresponding to the septum of
the right horn, partially dividing the left horn into two. I t has considerable dorso-
ventral extension, and its free margin, which is directed forwards and inwards, is
slightly concave and measures 5*50 inches in extent. , Erom its free margin to the
os uteri internum is 5-75 inches, and on its left surface it measures 3-75 inches. The
appearance of the cavities when laid open is shown in fig. 1, PI. XXXIV, in which
the impregnated left horn is seen to bend round at its right end between its own and
the median septum, while the right horn is shut off by the valvular arrangement
just described. The entrance into it is by a canal three inches long by the same in
breadth, directed outwards and slightly forwards. The horn itself into which this
broad passage leads, is a little more than 6 inches long by 4 inches in breadth a
little above its middle. The anterior wall of the canal is very rugose, especially its
aspect in the horn, and, as was to be expected, it is double the thickness of the walls