MALE GENERATIVE ORGANS 



173 



and this again is supported by a coating of submucous tissue, con- 

 taining two layers of plain muscular fibres an inner longitudinal and 

 an outer circular. Outside this again is a close plexus of small veins 

 which are connected with, and may be said to form part of, the corpus 

 spongiosum. 



The mucous membrane of the urethra is beset with small mucous 

 glands, simple and compound (glands of Littre). There are also a 

 number of oblique recesses termed lacunae. Besides these small glands 

 and glandular recesses, two compound racemose glands open into the 

 bulbous portion of the urethra ( Gowper's glands}. Their acini are lined 

 by clear columnar cells which secrete mucus. 



The prostate, which surrounds the commencement of the urethra, 

 is a muscular and glandular mass, the glands of which are composed 

 of tubular alveoli, lined by columnar epithelium, with smaller cells 

 lying between them and the basement-membrane. Their ducts open 

 upon the floor of the urethra. 



The integument of the penis contains numerous special nerve end- 

 organs of the nature of end-bulbs, and Paciniaii bodies have also been 



FIG. 209. TRANSVERSE SEC- 

 TION THROrGH THE RIGHT 

 TESTICLE AND THE TUNICA 

 VAGINALIS. 



(l, connective tissue enveloping 

 the parietal layer of the tunica 

 vaginalis ; 6, this layer itself ; 

 c, cavity of the tunica vagi- 

 nalis ; d, reflected or visceral 

 layer adhering to e, the tunica 

 albuginea ; /, covering of epi- 

 didymis (</) ; h, mediastinum 

 testis ; i, branches of the sper- 

 matic artery ; 1; spermatic 

 vein ; /, vas deferens ; TO, small 

 artery of the vas deferens ; 

 n, o, septa or processes from the 

 mediastinum to the surface. 



FIG. 210. PLAN OF A VER- 

 TICAL SECTION OF THE 

 TESTICLE, SHOWING THE 

 ARRANGEMENT OF THE 

 DUCTS. 



The true length and diameter of 

 the ducts have been disre- 

 garded, n, a, tubuli seminiferi 

 coiled up in the separate lobes ; 

 6, vasa recta ; c, rete vascu- 

 losum ; d, vasa efferentia end- 

 ing in the coni vasculosi ; I, e, g, 

 convoluted canal of the epi- 

 didymis : h, vas deferens ; /, 

 section of the back part of the 

 tunica albuginea ; i, i, fibrous 

 processes running between the 

 lobes ; / to s, mediastinum. 



found upon the nerves. Lymphatic vessels are numerous in the in- 

 tegument of the organ and also in the submucous tissue of the urethra. 



