MAMMARY GLANDS. 



247 



produce so much excitement as to occasion 

 erection of the nipple." 



The nipple is carefully connected with the 

 gland by means of a firm fascia encircling the 

 lactiferous tubes derived from the general 

 fibrous tissue of the breast and thorax. 



The areola. This term has been applied to 

 the coloured circle which surrounds the nipple. 

 It is smooth until the period of puberty, when 

 it becomes slightly tuberculated. Its diameter 

 in a child is about half an inch ; at puberty 

 and in young women double that size, and 

 during lactation is as much as two inches or 

 more, not again changing except in very old 

 age, when it almost disappears. 



The change of the colour of the areola from 

 a reddish tint to a dark brown as the result of 

 impregnation is well known to the practitioner. 

 The cuticle is thin as in the nipple. Speaking 

 of the cutis of the areola Sir A. Cooper 

 observes, that " when the areola is examined 

 with attention after the separation of the cuticle 



Fig. 71. 



and rete mucosum, its surface is found to be 

 covered with papillae like those of the nipple, 

 but of smaller size, although stiil extremely 

 distinct. They are smallest at the circumference 

 of the areola, but gradually increase in size as 

 they approach the nipple. They are disposed 

 in circles, their bases fixed in the cutis, and 

 the apex of each is directed towards the nipple, 

 so that they are opposed to the papillae of the 

 lips of the child. They are very vascular and 

 sensitive bodies". (See fig. 71.) The whole 

 structure of the areola points to it as a continu- 

 ation of the nipple. 



The nipple and areola are lubricated by the 

 secretion of especial mucous follicles which 

 surround them, called by Sir A. Cooper the 

 tubercles of the areola. " These glands are 

 extremely vascular, lobulated, and cellular. 

 Each orifice opens into an arborescent vessel or 

 vessels." (See fig. 72). 



Fig. 72. 



A front view of the nipple and areola, shewing the 

 foliated appearance of the papillae and the numerous 

 but smaller papilla? of the areola. 

 This and the following figures arc all taken from 



Sir A. Cooper's work. 



Fig. 73. 



A tubercle filled with yellow injection and twenty-three 

 times magnified. These are the tubercles which 

 have been supposed by anatomists to produce milk, 

 and to have communication with the lactiferous tubes, 

 from which, however, they are separate and dis- 

 tinct. They secrete a mucous fluid, which has 

 more the appearance of gruel than milk. 



6 



A section of the mammary aland, through the nipple, shewing the ducts over a bristle unravelled, and pro- 

 ceeding to the posterior part of the gland. The ligamenta suspensoria may be seen passing from the 

 anterior surface of the gland to the skin, supporting the folds or processes of the former, and leaving 

 considerable cavities between them, in which the fat is contained in its proper membrane. The fascia 

 may be observed passing to each extremity of the gland and dividing into two portions; the anterior 

 proceeding upon the surface of the gland to form the ligamenta suspensoria ; the posterior behind the 

 gland, sending processes between which a smaller quantity of fat is contained; and both these layers 

 assist in producing the fibrous tissue of the gland. It also sends processes of fascia backwards to join 

 the uponcurosis of ' the pectoral muscle, b, b, forming the line from one extremity of the gland to the other. 

 The section, therefore, clearly shews the various cords by means of which the breast is slung and 

 sustained, a, a, the fascia. 



