44° THE TROSTATE. [sect. 199. 



have named the sphincter prostata. Having removed these dif- 

 ferent muscular layers, we at last come upon the proper glandular 

 tissue of the prostate, which, accordingly, we find to occupy chiefly 

 the outer parts of the organ, although, it is true, some few lohules 

 do penetrate among the circular fibi'es, and the numerous excretory 

 ducts traverse the longitudinal and transverse fibres, to open right 

 and left, parallel to the caput gallinaginis. The proper substance 

 of the prostate consists of a reddish-grey material, somewhat 

 dense, which may be very readily split up into fibres in the direc- 

 tion of the diameter of the organ, or more correctly, the structure 

 may be described as radiating in all directions, from the lateral 

 parts of the caput gallinaginis towards the outer surface of the 

 organ. The elements of this proper tissue of the prostate are, 

 first, distinct muscular fibres of the smooth variety, in separate 

 thick bundles, with some connective tissue; and, secondly, the 

 true glands of the organ. The latter consist of thirty to fifty 

 compound racemose glands, of a conical or pear-shaped form, 

 which are distinguished from the ordinary racemose glands by 

 their loose structure, the distinct pedunculation of many of their 

 vesicles, and the slight development of the smallest lobules; this 

 last circumstance appears to be partly ascribable to the abundance 

 of fibrous tissue, interspersed among the elements of the glands. 

 The gland-vesicles are pyriform or roundish, o - o5" to o*i'" in size, 

 and lined by an epithelium, whose cells are polygons or short 

 cylinders, o'004"' to o"005'" in length, and contain brown pig- 

 ment-granules. On the excretory duets,' however, the epithelium 

 has the same cylindrical form as is present in the prostatic part of 

 the urethra. The secretion of the prostate appears to be similar 

 to that of the seminal vesicles; at least, the prostatic calculi, as 

 they are termed, consist of the same protein substance, soluble in 

 acetic acid, as is met with in the seminal vesicles (Virchow). 

 These calculi are round, concentric concretions, Q'03'" to O'l'" in 

 size, formed in the gland- vesicles. The prostate possesses a fibrous 

 tunic, which firmly encloses the glandular tissue, and contains 

 smooth muscular fibres in large quantity. The organ is provided 

 with a considerable number of vessels, the most remarkable of 

 which are the numerous capillaries surrounding the glandular 

 elements, and a rich venous plexus beneath the mucous membrane 

 of the urethra. The nerves have been mentioned above; their 

 course in the interior of the prostate is unknown. 



The uterus masculinus, or the vesicula prostatica, is situated in 

 the caput gallinaginis, and between the ejaculatory ducts. Its 



