SECT. 20-.] MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF THE VAGINA. 



467 

 fasciculi, and constitute a true muscular coat. The mucous mem 



brane is of a pale reddish colour, is studded with numerous folds anefhe 

 eminences of variable size — the columnae rugarum — and is composed ,<s 

 of a dense connective tissue without glands, which possesses elastic 

 elements in large quantity, and is consequently remarkable for its 

 great firmness and extensibility. The inner surface of this mucous 

 membrane exhibits numerous filiform and conical papilla;, o , o6'" to 

 o 08" in length and o'025'" to 003'" in breadth, which are com- 

 pletely imbedded in a pavement epithelium O'oy'" to 009'" thick, 

 of the same kind as in the oesophagus ; the uppermost cells, which 

 are flattened, measure 001" to 001 5" in diameter, and contain 

 nuclei 0003'" in diameter. The hymen is a duplicative of the 

 vaginal mucous membrane, and possesses the same elements. 



From the vagina, the mucous membrane also extends upon the 

 external genitals, covers the glaus clitoridis and the vestibule with 

 the opening of the urethra, while folds of it form the preputium 

 clitoridis and the labia minora. At the labia majora, it passes 

 uninterruptedly iuto the external integument : on their inner 

 side, and at the commissure, the integument of the greater labia 

 presents more the characters of a mucous membrane, whilst at 

 their borders, on their outer surface, and on the mons veneris, it com- 

 pletely resembles the cutis. The fundamental portion of the mucous 

 membrane of the external genitals, consists of a loose connective 

 tissue, with numerous fine elastic fibres and free from fat, in which 

 numerous vessels ramify. The condensed outer layer of this mem- 

 brane ($'" to 4-'" thick), corresponding to the corium, possesses every- 

 where very well developed papilla? (measuring in the labia minora, 

 iV" to TfV"' oa tne clitoris, -Jj"' to -£ .,'" in length), and a lamellated 

 pavement epithelium, 0'04'" to o - i2'" in thickness, whose most 

 superficial cells measure o'Oi'" to 0"02'" in diameter (fig. 40, 4). The 

 integuments covering the labia majora agree in their structure 

 partly with the mucous membrane, partly with the cutis; and 

 these parts contain ordinary adipose tissue in their interior. 



The external genital organs are provided with various glands, 

 some larger and some smaller. Sebaceous glands of considerable 

 size ({'" to i"), and usually of a moniliform shape, are found 

 upon the labia majora, both on their external and on their in- 

 ternal aspects, in connection with larger and smaller hair-follicles ; 

 more internally, similar glands are found in large numbers on 

 the labia minora ; here they are somewhat smaller ( r V" to \'"), 

 and are generally independent of hairs; lastly, these glands are 

 occasionally observed around the opening of the urethra, and 011 



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