2026 



HUMAN ANATOMY. 



dorsal nerve is relatively large and supplies the integument of the glans and prepuce 

 with fibres connected with special sensory end-organs. 



THE GLANDS OF BARTHOLIN. 



4 



The glands of Bartholin (glandulae vestibulares majores), the homologues of 

 Cowper's glands in the male, are a pair of small organs, situated one on either side 

 of the vaginal orifice, behind the bulbus vestibuli and about the middle of the base 

 of the labium majus. The organ measures from 1-1.5 cm. in length and somewhat 

 less than i cm. in width, and is covered on its anterolateral aspect by the bulbo- 

 cavernosus muscle and, often, also by the end of the bulbus vestibuli. Its superior 

 surface lies against the inferior layer of the triangular ligament, and its medial about 



1 cm. external to the vestibule, from which it is separated by dense fibrous tissue. 

 From the anteromedial border of the gland emerges the duct, a narrow tube, about 



2 mm. in diameter and from 1.5-2 cm. long, that passes obliquely inward and for- 

 ward, beneath the base of the nympha, to open in the groove between the latter and 

 the hymen about opposite the posterior third of the lateral boundary of the vagi- 

 nal orifice. The minute 



Fig. 1709. 



Dorsal nerve 

 Corpus clitoridis Dorsal artery, / Artery of bulb 



Glans clitoridis 



Pubic 

 ramus 



Crus of 

 clitoris 



Right lobe 



of bulbus 



vestibuli 



Inferior 

 layer of 

 triangular 

 ligament 



Crus of 

 , clitoris 

 ■^ pulled 

 upward 



Portion of 

 tiympha 



-Tuber 

 ischii 



^-- Glands of Bartholin 



Dissection of urogenital triangle of female ; left lobe of 

 vestibular bulb has been removed. 



^i 



opening of the duct, from 

 .5-. 6 mm. wide, is often 

 at the bottom of a small 

 depression in the mu- 

 cous membrane of the 

 vestibule. 



In structure the 

 gland corresponds to the 

 mucous tubo - alveolar 

 type, the small compo- 

 nent lobules, however, 

 being separated by con- 

 siderable tracts of fibro- 

 muscular tissue. The ter- 

 minal compartments are 

 lined with columnar epi- 

 thelium containing many 

 goblet cells. The lobular 

 ducts unite to form the 

 single excretory canal, 

 which is beset with mi- 

 nute mucous follicles. The main duct, which sometimes exhibits ampullary enlarge- 

 ments, is clothed with columnar epithelium until near its termination, where its lining 

 becomes stratified squamous in character, to correspond with that of the vestibule. 

 The secretion of the gland is whitish in color and viscid. 



Vessels. — The ar/er?es supplying the gland are usually twigs given off from the 

 bulbar branch of the internal pudic. The vems are tributary chiefly to the internal 

 pudic, but also communicate with the trunks of the vestibular bulb and of the vagina. 

 The lymphatics join those of the vagina and rectum that are afferents of the internal 

 iliac nodes. It is probable that, to a limited extent, communication also exists with 

 the paths ending in the superficial inguinal nodes. . 



The nerves are very numerous, and include sympathetic fibres and twigs from 

 the pudic. 



Development. — The glands of Bartholin first appear in embryos from 4-5 cm. 

 long, as solid epithelial outgrowths from the lateral walls of the urogenital sinus. At 

 first simple cylinders, they later become branched, acquire a lumen and, in embryos 

 of from 12-15 cm. in length, begin to exhibit alveoli lined with mucus secreting cells 

 (V. Miiller). Although fully developed at birth, the glands remain small until near 

 puberty, when they enlarge, acquiring their greatest size during the years of sexual 

 activity. After the cessation of menstruation they gradually diminish, and are 

 atrophic in the aged subject. 



