EXTERNAL ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



711 



is directed upwards or forwards, while that 

 which had been in the foetus, the upper half, 

 has now become unfolded or lost among the 

 plaits of mucous membrane, situated at the 

 upper part of the vaginal entrance. This, 

 because it is the most constant, has been 

 usually regarded as the typical form of the 

 hymen. But the foetal form is also often re- 

 tained, namely, the circular fold of mucous 

 membrane, which, as the parts become more 

 expanded, acquires a round rather than a slit- 

 like aperture. If, however, the folds of the 

 mucous membrane lining the vagina are pro- 

 fusely developed, then the hymen also exhi- 

 bits the form not so much of a distinct 

 membrane as of an irregularly constricted ori- 

 fice, the sides of which are puckered or 

 gathered into plaits, so as nearly to close the 

 vaginal entrance. And this also is a very 

 common condition of the part, especially in 

 young subjects. 



The varieties, therefore, in the hymen which 

 anatomists recognise, such as the crescentic, 

 circular, cribriform, and the like, become easily 

 explicable. They all proceed apparently from 

 u common starting point, but differences in 

 the degree of development, or accident, may 

 determine the permanent form. The half- 

 circle and crescent result from a normal deve- 

 lopment of the posterior, and a corresponding 

 retrocession of the anterior, moiety of that 

 conically projecting mucous fold which is 

 more or less distinct in every foetus. The 

 hymen with a central or nearly central circu- 

 lar orifice, results from a flattening down and 

 retiring within the vaginal orifice of the cone ; 

 the retiring naturally following upon an expan- 

 sion of the vaginal walls as growth advances. 

 The appearance of a notched margin to the cen^ 

 tral aperture is produced by the prominent 

 edges of the terminal vaginal folds, which are 

 in some subjects more profusely developed 

 than in others. The cribriform hymen pro- 

 bably results from an abnormal cohesion of 

 these notched edges, in such a manner, that 

 small apertures are left between them, and 

 the completely imperforate hymen by an en- 

 tire adhesion of the margins of the orifice, 

 the result sometimes of inflammation in in- 

 fancy. 



The hymen, however various its forms may 

 be, consists of a double layer of mucous mem- 

 brane, containing between its laminae a small 

 quantity of fibrous tissue and blood-vessels. 

 It is of variable degrees of thickness, being in 

 some subjects very strong and tough, and in 

 others forming a very slender lamina. Its 

 situation is at the entrance of the vagina. 

 Although the depth at which it is placed 

 within the vulva varies in different subjects, 

 according to the thickness of the labia, and 

 the size of the nymphae and vestibule. Occa- 

 sionally, as already stated, one or more plica; 

 of the vaginal mucous membrane, more than 

 usually developed, form constrictions at a 

 higher point within the canal, but the term 

 hymen cannot with propriety be applied to 

 any of these. 



The presence of the hymen, although it 



raises a strong probability of virginity, \et 

 affords no certain evidence upon that point, 

 nor does its absence establish the contrary. 



The hymen is commonly said to be ruptured 

 on the occasion of a first complete intercourse, 

 but the expression unfolded would probably, 

 in many instances, more accurately represent 

 the mode of its disappearance. Whenever 

 the hymen presents any considerable mem- 

 branous surface, doubtless a real laceration 

 occurs, but in the cases in which it takes the 

 form of a crescentic fold, or of a puckered 

 rosette, instead of being lacerated, it probably 

 becomes unfolded or flattened out, and so dis- 

 appears, just as the ordinary vaginal folds are 

 obliterated, by frequent intercourse or by 

 parturition, without any rupture. 



Upon the presumption that the hymen is 

 always lacerated a certain hypothesis has been 

 raised, namely, that the little fleshy bodies 

 occasionally observed near the orifice of the 

 vagina, termed canmculce myrt/formes, consti- 

 tute the remains of that membrane. But, 

 notwithstanding a great amount of evidence 

 that has been collected regarding the myrti- 

 form bodies, it cannot be shown that these are 

 anything more than accidental and uncertain 

 formations, having nothing necessarily to do 

 with the hymen. 



The hymen may be broken by accident, or 

 may become obliterated, by the frequent em- 

 ployment of vaginal injections, and in other 

 like modes. Or, from' constant leucorrhoea, 

 the parts may become so relaxed that a dis- 

 tinct membranous fold can be no longer dis- 

 cerned at the vaginal orifice, although there 

 may have been no loss of virginity. 



On the other hand, impregnation may take 

 place without destruction of the hymen, which 

 has frequently been found entire at the time 

 of labour, and even in women affected by sy- 

 philis.* 



Sebaceous and Mucijwrous C lands and Fol- 

 licles of the Vulva. The sebaceous follicles 

 correspond with the male preputial follicles. 

 They are scattered over the nymphae, clitoris, 

 and inner surface of the labia. Their secretion 

 contains butyric acid and has a strong and 

 somewhat ammoniacal odour. This occasion- 

 ally becomes highly irritating, especially when 

 cleanliness is neglected. 



The mnciparous follicles are arranged in 

 groups, the principal ones being situated 

 upon the vestibule (vestibular follicles, Jig. 

 480, v), around and upon the sides of the 

 meatus urinareus (urethralf<>llicles,Jig. 480. u), 

 and at the sides of the entrance of the vagina 

 (lateral follicles of the vaginal orifice, fg. 480. 

 t>). 



The muciparous follicles arc composed of a 

 delicate vascular mucous membrane arranged 

 in the form of short mucous crypts, or con- 

 sist of simple or branched tubules ending 



* In a case of extensive syphilitic periostitis 

 which came under my notice, in a woman thirty 

 years of age, who had previously been a prostitute, 

 a tough membranous circular hymen closed the 

 orifice of the vagina so completely that the tip of 

 the fore linger could scarcely be inserted within it. 

 z z 4 



