66 SECRETION. 



of epithelial cells. Cholesterine, which is present so fre- 

 quently in the contents of sebaceous cysts, does not exist 

 in the normal secretion, nor was it found in the analyses 

 by Lutz. 



During the latter periods of pregnancy and during lacta- 

 tion, the sebaceous glands of the areola of the nipple become 

 considerably distended with a grayish-white, opaque secre- 

 tion, containing numerous oily globules and granules. Fre- 

 quently the fluid contains also a large number of epithelial 

 cells. During the periods above indicated, the secretion 

 here is always much more abundant than in the ordinary 

 sebaceous glands. 



Smegma of the Prepuce and of the Ldbia Minora. In 

 the folds of the prepuce of the male and the inner surface 

 and folds of the labia minora in the female, a small quan- 

 tity of a whitish, grumous matter, of a cheesy consistence, 

 is sometimes found, particularly when proper attention is 

 not paid to cleanliness. The matter which thus collects 

 in the folds of the prepuce has really little analogy with 

 the ordinary sebaceous secretion. Examination with the 

 microscope shows that it is composed almost entirely of 

 irregular scales of pavement-epithelium, which do not pre- 

 sent the fatty granules and globules usually observed in 

 the cells derived from the sebaceous glands. Robin re- 

 gards the production of this substance as entirely indepen- 

 dent of the secretion of sebaceous matter, as it is formed 

 chiefly in parts of the prepuce in which the sebaceous 

 glands are wanting. 1 



The smegma of the labia minora is of the same char- 

 acter as the smegma preputiale ; but it contains drops of 

 oil, and the other products of the sebaceous glands found 

 in these parts. 



Vernix Caseosa. The surface of the foetus at birth and 



1 ROBIN, Lefonssur les humeurs, Paris, 186Y, p. 587. 



