8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



gentleman, to whom, suspecting his proper sex, he had had recourse in order 

 to satisfy his doubts as to his sexual status. 



Far from his home, chance now led him to our doer, and upon his request 

 we made a satisfactory examination. 



His framework is that of a male. The mammae are undeveloped, the thorax 

 and limbs quite hairy, and the pubis and genitals unusually hirsute. A me- 

 dian fissure separated two apparent labia, and, as hair conceals all else, the 

 impression is decidedly womanly ; nor is that impression altogether effaced 

 by drawing apart the labia, for the cleft extends deeply, seems to merge into 

 a small vagina, above which a mentus urinarius lies under the arch of the 

 pubis. But higher up a penis appears, one inch and three quarters in length, 

 by three-fourths in diameter, surrounded by an imperforate glans uncovered 

 by prepuce. A groove extends along the under surface of the penis, and runs 

 back to within one inch ef the anus, being about three inches in length. 

 This groove, lined by mucous membrane, is the roof of the urethra, which 

 deepens posteriorly, and is finally concealed by overhanging scrotal pouches. 

 Traction upon tbese shows its termination in a deeply imbedded meatus, 

 which lies about half an inch anteriorly to a blind fossa about the size of a 

 crow quill in capacity and half an inch in depth. The meatus and cul de sac 

 are comprised in an oval space about an inch in length, bounded laterally by 

 an elevated ridge of mucous membrane, and posteriorly limited by a four- 

 chette. 



The prepuce, dividing on the under surface of tbe penis, is continuous with 

 bands of mucous membrane, which simulate the labia minora of the female, 

 and are lost upon the inner sides of the scrota. The proximate surfaces of the 

 scrotal pouches have the character of mucous membrane, are red, vascular 

 and moist, and are traceable into the urethra and vaginoid cul de sac. 



A careful examination with the finger in the rectum and a catheter in the 

 bladder, recognizes no trace of uterus, and the blind fossa which simulates a 

 rudimentary vagina appears to be independent of all other parts but the mu- 

 cous membrane which forms its walls. The indications of the existence of a 

 prostate are uncertain. 



A small oval glandular body occupies each inguinal canal, has the form of 

 a testicle, but is softer to the touch. These bodies, lying just within the ex- 

 ternal abdominal ring, are the testicles, which have not descended beyond 

 that opening. 



The sexual feeling is as feebly developed as the external parts of generation 

 indeed it is somewhat doubtful if that feeling exist at all, as the statements 

 of X. Y. on this point are vague and unsatisfactory. He asserts that erection 

 of the penis sometimes takes place, accompanied with pain, but the organ 

 follows an unnatural bent downwards. 



We have evidently presented to us in this case an instance of arrest of 

 development dating from an early period of foetal life. The cleft is the origi- 

 nal sexual fissure ; the corpora cavernosa have united above, leaving the 

 shallow groove beneath ; tbe glans is imperforate, and the rest of the spongy 

 bod}' is wanting; and the bladder and rectum are partitioned off from the 

 great inferior or genito-urinary and intestinal cloaca, the fundus of which 

 puts on the appearance of a little vagina The sex of the individual is mani- 

 festly masculine ; but X. Y. must be regarded as a very imperfectly sketched 

 male, and as affected with hypospadias of a remarkably decided as well as 

 interesting character. 



September 5th. 

 Vice-Director, Wm. Pepper, M.D., in the Chair. 

 Eleven members present. 



