HYDEOCELE. 441 



region near the kidney, because the testicle was originally de- 

 veloped within the abdomen in this region. Hence it follows 

 that it is not easy to determine whether or not these glands have 

 become involved in the early stages of malignant deposit in the 

 testis. 



Imperfect Descent of the Testis. The testis may be arrested 

 at any stage in its " descent " into the scrotum, or it may descend 

 but pass elsewhere than into the scrotum. The first abnormality 

 is termed arrest, whilst the second is known as ectopia. 



There are several anatomical peculiarities which may lead to 

 arrest of the testis. Its blood-vessels may be too short, the vas 

 may not be long enough, the mesorchium, or fold of peritoneum 

 attaching the testis to the dorsal wall, may be so broad as to give 

 the testis so much play that it may never engage the deep ab- 

 dominal ring, or the testis may be tethered by intra-abdominal 

 adhesions. 



Again, the testis or the epididymis or both may be too large 

 to permit of the passage of the gland along the inguinal canal or 

 through the superficial ring. 



And, lastly, the pull of the gubernacular fibres may be too 

 feeble owing to their lack of development. 



In ectopia testis the organ is most commonly found at the side of 

 the anus in the perineum. It is probably drawn there by a band 

 of gubernacular fibres, which can be felt fixed to the junction of 

 the rami of the os pubis and ischium. In other instances it is 

 drawn by gubernacular fibres into Scarpa's triangle, when the 

 spermatic cord can be felt passing through the superficial ring. 



Hydrocele. The processus vaginalis may remain patent in its 

 whole length, and peritoneal fluid draining into the pouch con- 

 stitutes a typical congenital hydrocele. In many of such cases 

 the actual communication with the general peritoneal cavity is 

 but small, and consequently it may be difficult to reduce the 

 fluid and impossible for abdominal viscera to descend hence the 

 presence of a hydrocele and the absence of a hernia. 



The processus vaginalis may be obliterated at any spot between 

 its commencement in the parietal peritoneum and the summit of 



