1004 



OP GENERATION. 



is found in the permanent condition of the Struthious Birds and of the Impla- 

 eental Mammalia. The external opening of this canal is soon observed to be 

 bounded by two folds of skin, the rudiments of the labia majora in the female, 

 and of the two halves of the scrotum in the male ; whilst between and in front 

 of these, there is formed a penis-like body, surmounted by a gland, and cleft or 

 furrowed along its under surface. This body in the female is retracted into the 

 genito-urinary canal, and becomes the clitoris ; whilst the margins of its furrow 

 are converted into the nymphae or labia minora. In the male, on the other 

 hand, it increases in prominence, and becomes the penis ; and the margins of 

 the furrow at its under surface unite (at about the 14th week), and form a con- 

 tinuation of the now contracted genito-urinary canal the previous orifice of 

 which then closes up. Now in a large proportion of cases of so-called Herma- 



Fig. 273. 



Urinary and Generative Organs of a Human Embryo measuring 3% inches in length. A. General view of 

 these parts: 1, suprarenal capsules; 2, kidneys; 3, ovary; 4, Fallopian tube; 5, uterus; 6, intestine; 7, the 

 bladder. B. Bladder and generative organs of the same embryo viewed from the side : 1, the urinary bladder ; 

 2, urethra ; 3, uterus (with two cornua) ; 4, vagina ; 5, part as yet common to the vagina and urethra ; 6, 

 common orifice of the urinary and generative organs ; 7, the clitoris, c. Internal generative organs of the 

 same embryo : 1, the uterus ; 2, the round ligaments ; 3, the Fallopian tubes ; 4, the ovaries ; 5, the remains 

 of the Wolffian bodies. D. External generative organs of the same embryo : 1, the labia majora ; 2, the 

 nymphje; 3, the clitoris. After Muller. 



phrodism, there has been either a want of completeness in the development of 

 the male organs, so that they present a greater or less degree of resemblance to 

 those of the female ; or the developmental process has gone on to an abnormal 

 extent in the female organs, so that they come to present a certain degree of 

 resemblance to those of the male. One of the most common malformations of 

 the male organs is* " hypospadias," or an abnormal opening of the urethra at the 

 base of the penis ; this arises from incompleteness in the closure of the edges of 

 its original furrow. But when the developmental process has been checked at 

 an earlier period, the uro -genital sinus may retain more nearly its original cha- 

 racter, and may have a wide external opening beneath the root of the penis, so 



