630 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



surface being extremely delicate, and being somewhat like mucous 

 membrane. The true mucous membrane, however, only commences 

 at the inner side of the base or superior attached border of the 

 labium minus. The labia minora, previous to their union anteriorly, 

 divide each into two laminae. The upper and larger lamina passes 

 pver the clitoris, and becomes continuous with that of the opposite 

 side, thus forming a cap for that organ, called the praeputium 

 clitoridis. The lower and smaller lamina passes below the clitoris, 

 where it also becomes continuous with that of the opposite side. 

 At the line of junction of the two lower laminae they are attached 

 to the under surface of the clitoris, thus forming the frsenulum 

 clitoridis. The labia minora are destitute of both hair and fat, 

 but they contain sebaceous glands. They sometimes attain a large 

 degree of development, in which cases they project through the 

 uro-genital fissure. In some African women they become so much 

 developed as to reach down to the knees. When this occurs 

 they form what has been called the apron of Hottentots. The 

 labia minora are homologous with the floor of the spongy part 

 of the urethra and the integument of the under surface of the 

 penis and prepuce in the male. 



Development of the Labia Majora and Labia Minora. — The anterior part 

 of the cloacal fossa in the female forms the uro-genital space, and the 

 margins or lips of this space become prominent and give rise to the outer 

 genital folds. At the posterior (lower) part of the uro-genital space there 

 is the uro-genital cleft, which receives the external orifices of the urethra 

 and vagina. The lips of this cleft form two other folds, called the inner 

 genital folds. The outer genital folds form the labia majora, and the inner 

 genital folds give rise to the labia minora. In the male the anterior part 

 of the cloacal fossa (uro-genital furrow) is closed over by the meeting and 

 union of its lips to form the spongy portion of the urethra. The genital 

 folds, which correspond with the outer genital folds in the female, coalesce in 

 a median raphe, and so give rise to the scrotum, which, therefore, corresponds 

 to the labia majora in the female. 



The clitoris is situated in the uro-genital space a little behind 

 the anterior commissure, and is composed of two corpora cavernosa 

 and a glans. Each corpus cavernosum is attached by means of a 

 crus to the anterior everted lip of the inner border of the ischio- 

 pubic ramus, the crus being covered by the ischio-cavernosus or 

 erector clitoridis muscle, and lying superficial to the antero-inferior 

 layer of the triangular ligament. The two corpora cavernosa unite 

 by their inner flattened surfaces, and so form the body of the 

 clitoris, which is about i^ inches long. The septum, which is inter- 

 posed at the line of junction of the corpora cavernosa, is incom- 

 plete, and is called the septum pectiniforme. The dorsal surface 

 of the clitoris at its upper end is attached to the front of the sym- 

 physis pubis by a small suspensory ligament, and the distal end of 

 the organ is capped by an imperforate glans. The glans, which 

 caps the corpora cavernosa, is composed of erectile tissue, and is 

 extremely sensitive. It is provided with a prepuce and a fraenulum, 

 both of which are continuous with the labia minora. The organ is 

 composed of erectile tissufi**i***~7'"'"v-' ~"°>^^ 



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