CHAPTER XIX 

 ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION 



THE EXTERNAL ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION 

 (FEMALE) 



The Vulva. The term vulva, or pudendum, includes 

 the mons veneris and labia, the nymphse and clitoris, 

 the hymen or its remains, the meatus urinarius, and 

 the vaginal orifice. 



The mons veneris is a fatty cushion covering the 

 front of the pubes, and after puberty is plentifully 

 supplied with hairs. Below, it divides into the two 

 labia majora, which diminishing in size as they pass 

 downward and backward, unite an inch in front of 

 the anus. The two extremities are joined, and form 

 the anterior and posterior commissures. Between the 

 latter and the anus is the perineum, and just within 

 the posterior commissure is a transverse fold, the 

 fourchette. 



The nymphse, or labia minora, smaller than the 

 above, run from the middle of the labia majora up- 

 ward to the clitoris, each dividing into two folds, 

 the upper pair of which join to form a prepuce for 

 that organ, and the lower two to form its frenum. 

 They are continuous externally with labia majora, 

 internally with the vagina. 



The clitoris is the opposite of. the penis (male), con- 

 sisting, like it, of two corpora cavernosa united by a 

 septum pectiniforme and prolonged behind into two 

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