804 MALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



and corpus spongiosum, and, passing beneath the pubic arch, join the deep lym- 

 phatics of the pelvis. 



The nerves are derived from the internal pudic nerve and the hypogastric 

 plexus. On the glans and bulb some filaments of the cutaneous nerves have 

 Pacinian bodies connected with them. 



THE TESTES AND THEIR COVERINGS. 



The Testes are two small glandular organs, which secrete the semen ; they 

 are situated in the scrotum, being suspended by the spermatic cords. At an 

 early period of foetal life, the testes are contained in the abdominal cavity, be- 

 hind the peritoneum. Before birth, they descend to the inguinal canal, along 

 which they pass with the spermatic cord, and, emerging at the external abdomi- 

 nal ring, they descend into the scrotum, becoming invested in their course by 

 numerous coverings, derived from the serous, muscular, and fibrous layers of 

 the abdominal parietes, as well as by the scrotum. The coverings of the testis 

 are, the 



Skin ) o 



-r. >- Scrotum. 



Dartos j 



Intercolumnar, or External spermatic fascia. 



Cremaster muscle. 



Infundibuliform, or Fascia propria (Internal spermatic fascia). 



Tunica vaginalis. 



The Scrotum is a cutaneous pouch, which contains the testes and part of the 

 spermatic cords. It is divided into two lateral halves, by a median line, or 

 raphe, which is continued forwards to the under surface of the penis, and back- 

 wards along the middle line of the perineum to the anus. Of these two lateral 

 portions, the left is longer than the right, and corresponds with the greater 

 length of the spermatic cord on the left side. Its external aspect varies under 

 different circumstances : thus, under the influence of warmth, and in old and 

 debilitated persons, it becomes elongated and flaccid : but, under the influence 

 of cold, and in the young and robust, it is short, corrugated, and closely applied 

 to the testes. 



The scrotum consists of two layers, the integument and the dartos. 



The integument is very thin, of a brownish color, and generally thrown into 

 folds or ruga3. It is provided with sebaceous follicles, the secretion of which 

 has a peculiar odor, and is beset with thinly scattered, crisp hairs, the roots of 

 which are seen through the skin. 



The dartos is a thin layer of loose reddish tissue, endowed with contractility ; 

 it forms the proper tunic of the scrotum, is continuous, around the base of the 

 scrotum, with the superficial fascia of the groin, perineum, and inner side of the 

 thighs, and sends inwards a distinct septum, septum scroti, which divides it into 

 two cavities for the two testes, the septum extending between the raphe and the 

 under surface of the penis, as far as its root. 



The dartos is closely united to the skin externally, but connected with the 

 subjacent parts by delicate areolar tissue, upon which it glides with the greatest 

 facility. The dartos is very vascular, and consists of a loose areolar tissue, con- 

 taining unstriped muscular fibre. Its contractility is slow, and excited by cold 

 and mechanical stimuli, but not by electricity. 



The intercolumnar fascia is a thin membrane, derived from the margin of the 

 pillars of the external abdominal ring, during the descent of the testis in the 

 foetus, being prolonged downwards around the surface of the cord and testis. 

 It is separated from the dartos by loose areolar tissue, which allows of consider- 

 able movement of the latter upon it, but is intimately connected with the suc- 

 ceeding la} r er. 



The cremasteric fascia consists of scattered bundles of muscular fibres (Cre- 



