540 



COVERINGS OF COED TESTIS. 



Fig. 161.* 



to the fingers. Its parietes are very thick and tough, and its canal 

 extremely small and lined by the mucous membrane continued from 

 the urethra. 



The Coverings of the spermatic cord are the spermatic fascia, 

 cremaster muscle, and fascia propria. The spermatic fascia is a 

 prolongation of the intercolumnar fascia, derived from the borders 

 of the external abdominal ring during the descent of the testicle in 

 the foetus. The cremasteric covering (erythroid) is the thin mus- 

 cular expansion formed by the spreading out of the fibres of the 

 cremaster, which is likewise carried down by the testis during its 

 descent. The fascia propria is a continuation of the infundibiliform 

 process from the transversalis fascia which immediately invests the 

 vessels of the cord, and is also obtained during the descent of the 

 testis. 



The Testis (testicle) is a small oblong and rounded gland, some- 

 what compressed upon the sides and behind, and suspended in the 

 cavity of the scrotum by the spermatic cord. 



Its position in the scrotum is oblique ; so that the upper extremity 

 is directed upwards and forwards, and a little 

 outwards; the lower, downwards and back- 

 wards, and a little inwards ; the convex sur- 

 face looks forwards and downwards, and the 

 flattened surface to which the cord is attached, 

 backwards and upwards. Lying against its 

 outer and posterior border is a flattened body 

 which follows the course of the testicle, and 

 extends from its upper to its lower extremity ; 

 this body is named, from its relation to the 

 testis, epididymis (s*i upon, SiSvpog the testicle) ; 

 it is divided into a central part or body, an 

 upper extremity or globus major, and a lower 

 extremity, globus minor (cauda) epididymis. 

 The globus major is situated upon the upper 

 end of the testicle, to which it is closely adherent ; the globus minor 

 is placed at its lower end, is attached to the testis by cellular tissue, 

 and curves upwards, to become continuous with the vas deferens. 

 The testis is invested by three tunics tunica vaginalis, tunica 

 albuginea, and tunica vasculosa ; and is connected to the inner sur- 

 face of the dartos by a large quantity of extremely loose cellular 

 tissue, in which fat is never deposited, but which is very susceptible 

 of serous infiltration. 



* A transverse section of the testicle. 1. The cavity of the tunica vaginalis; the 

 most external layer is the tunica vaginalis reflexa ; and that in contact with the organ, 

 the tunica vaginalis propria. 2. The tunica albuginea. 3. The mediastinum testis, 

 giving off numarous fibrous cords in a radiated direction to the internal surface of the 

 tunica albuginea. The cut extremities of the vessels below the number belong to the 

 rete testis ; and those above to the arteries and veins of the organ. 4. The tunica vas- 

 culosa, or pia mater testis. 5. One of the lobules, consisting of the convolutions of the 

 tubuli seminiferi, and terminating by a single duct the vas rectum. Corresponding 

 lobules are seen between the other fibrous cords of the mediastinum. 6. Section of the 

 epididymis. 



