THE ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 251 



which testicular growth is arrested, the prostate remains in a condition 

 of rudimentary development. Moreover, it has been shown that the 

 prostate in man normally undergoes atrophy in old age (see p. 718), 

 or as a result of castration, becoming transformed after a few years 

 into a mass of fibrous connective tissue containing a small number of 

 scattered muscle fibres in a state of degeneration. It has been found 

 also that the prostatic tubules disappear almost entirely in castrated 

 animals, and what is left of the epithelium completely loses its 

 secretory function 1 (cf. p. 320). De Bonis' experiments, however, 

 seem to show that the administration of prostatic extract to castrated 

 dogs may lead to a renewal of activity and to the formation of fresh 

 granules in the secretory cells, but this result could not be obtained 

 by employing testicular extract. 



Castration in the hedgehog, done in winter, stops the periodic 

 enlargement of the prostate (just as with the vesiculse), while the 

 partial operation has no effect. 2 Vasectomy also has no effect. 



COWPER'S GLANDS 



Cowper's glands are situated near the anterior end of the urethra. 

 They are a pair of small tubulo-racemose glands, and communicate 

 with the urethra by two ducts, apertures of which (in the human 

 subject) are about two inches below the openings of the vasa 

 deferentia. The lobules of the glands are surrounded by a firm 

 investing membrane which contains muscular tissue. They are lined 

 internally by a secretory epithelium. 



The significance of the viscous secretion which these glands 

 produce is still unknown. It has been suggested that it serves to 

 cleanse the urethra of urine or semen ; also that it produces an 

 alkaline secretion which neutralises the acidity caused by the urine. 

 Since it is poured out in considerable quantity during coitus, and 

 appears sometimes to precede the ejaculation of the actual semen, it 

 is not impossible that the secretion of these glands may possess 

 the special function of ridding the urethra of all traces of urine 

 preparatory to the passage of the spermatozoa. The glands of Littre 

 or Morgagni, which beset the whole lining membrane of the urethra, 

 except near the external orifice, probably serve the same purpose as 

 Cowper's glands. (Cf. prostate, p. 248.) 



1 Griffiths, loc-. cit. Cf. also Griffiths, "The Condition of the Testes and 

 Prostate Gland in Eunuchoicl Pel-sons," Jour, of Aunt. "//</ /'//*., vol. xxviii., 

 1893 ; Walker (G.), " Experimental Injection of Testicular Fluid to prevent the 

 Atrophy of the Prostate Gland after the Removal of the Testes," Jolm* ilupkii^ 

 Hospital livll., vol. xi., 1!>00; Wallace (Cuthbert), "Prostatic Enlargement," 

 London, 1907 ; de Bonis, for. <//. 



- Marshall, lu<: <>'(. 



