* ae 
; 
1138 UROGENITAL SYSTEM. 
The fossa navicularis is the part of the vestibule placed behind the vaginal 
opening and in front of the fourchette. 
The external urethral orifice lies immediately in front of that of the vagina, and 
is about one inch behind the glans clitoridis. The opening has the appearance of 
a vertical slit, or of an inverted V-shaped cleft, the slightly prominent margins of 
which are in contact. 
The vaginal opening (orificium vagine) hes further back, and below the orifice 
of the urethra. The appearance of the opening varies with the condition of the 
hymen—a membrane which in the young subject partly closes the aperture. When 
the hymen is intact the opening is small, and is only seen when the membrane is 
put on the stretch. When the hymen has been ruptured the opening is much 
larger, and round its margins are often seen small projections—caruncule hymenales 
—which are to be looked upon as persistent portions of the hymen. 
The hymen is a thin membranous fold, partially closing the lower end of the 
vagina, and usually perforated somewhat in front of its middle point. The posi- 
tion of the opening gives the fold, when stretched, a crescentic appearance. The 
opening in the hymen is sometimes cleanly cut, sometimes fringed. The mem- 
brane is not stretched tightly across the lower end of the vagina, but is so ample 
that it projects downwards into the urogenital fissure, and the parts of its upper 
surface are in contact with one another on each side of the opening. The 
opening is thus a mesial sht whose margins are normally in contact. The upper 
surface of the hymen is directly continuous with the vaginal wall, and on it are 
to be seen slight ridges continuous with the vaginal ruge. 
Dev elopmentally the hymen appears to be a portion of the vagina. 
On each side of the vaginal opening, and close against the attached margin of 
the labium minus, is the minute aperture of the duct of Bartholin’s gland. This 
is usually just large enough to be visible to the unaided eye. 
Numerous minute mucous glands (glandulee vestibuli minores) open on the surface of the 
mucous membrane of the vestibule, between the urethral and vaginal orifices. The opening of 
the ductus para-urethralis at the side of the urethral orifice has been already noted (p. 1108). 
Sebaceous glands are present on the labia majora and minora, and beneath the preputium 
clitoridis. In the latter situation the secretion of these helps to form the smegma clitoridis. 
Clitoris-—The clitoris is the morphological equivalent of the penis, and is 
composed of a body and two crura. Upon the summit of the body is a minute 
glans. Unlike the 
penis, the clitoris 
is not traversed by 
the urethra. 
The body of 
the clitoris (corpus 
clitoridis) 1s com- 
posed for the most 
Gees part of erectile 
Nj cliteridis tissue resembling 
Corpus 
clitoridis 
Crus 
clitoridis 
Urethral that of the penis 
orifice . 3 
Bulbus in the male. It is 
vestibuli 
about an inch or 
an inch and a half 
in length, and is 
bent upon itself, 
forming an angle 
open downwards. 
The body of the 
Fic. 779.—DIssECTION OF THE FEMALE EXTERNAL GENITAL ORGANS. clitoris tapers to- 
Drawn from a specimen in the Anatomical Department, Trinity College, Dublin. wards its distal 
Vaginal orifice 
Triangular ligament 
The suspensory ligament is seen passing upwards towards the symphysis pubis. en d, which is 
covered by the 
glans clitoridis. The organ is enclosed in a dense fibrous coat, and is divided by an 
incomplete septum (septum corporum cavernosorum) into two sy mmetrical and some- 
