154 VESICUL^ SEMINALES. 



Of the VesiculcB Seminales and the Prostate Gland. 



The Vesicula Seminales are two bodies of a whitish color, 

 and irregular form, being broad and flat at their posterior ex- 

 tremities, and terminating in a point at the other. They are 

 about two inches and a half in length, and six or seven lines 

 in diameter at their widest part. Their surfaces are so convo- 

 luted, that they have been compared to those of the brain. 

 They are situated between the rectum and bladder, and are 

 connected to each other by cellular membrane. 



When the vesiculae seminales are laid open by an incision, 

 they appear to consist of cells of a considerable size, irregularly 

 arranged ; but when they are carefully examined exteriorly, and 

 the cellular membrane about them is detached and divided, they 

 appear to be formed by a tube of rather more than two lines in 

 diameter and four or five inches in length, which terminates, 

 like the caecum, in a closed extremity. From this tube proceed 

 from ten to fifteen short branches, which are closed in the same 

 manner. All these tubes are convoluted so as to assume the 

 form of the vesiculae seminales above described ; and they are 

 fixed in this convoluted state by cellular membrane, which 

 firmly connects their different parts to each other. It is obvious 

 that tubes thus convoluted, when cut into will exhibit the appear- 

 ance of cells, as in the present instance. 



This convoluted tube composing the vesiculae seminales, ter- 

 minates in a very short duct, which is nearly of the same dia- 

 meter with the vas deferens ; this duct joins the vas deferens so 

 as to form an acute angle. 



From the union of the vesiculae seminales with the vas defe- 

 rens on each side, a canal, which seems to be the continuation 

 of the vas deferens, proceeds through part of the prostate to the 

 urethra, which it perforates. These canals are from eight to 

 twelve lines in length ; they are conical in form, their largest 

 extremity being equal to the vas deferens at that part. 



If the air or any other fluid be injected through the vas de- 

 ferens into the urethra, it will pass at the same time into the 

 vesiculae seminales, and distend them. It has been observed, 

 that a fluid passes in this manner much more readily from the 



