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v GENEEATIVE SYSTEM OF THE FEMALE 185 



a strong smell, which is the product of the sebaceous secretion 

 intimately mixed with the desquamated epidermoid elements; 

 it is called smegma clitoridis and is analogous to the male smegma 

 praeputii. 



In the pudenda the erectile organs, which in the male are 

 conjoined in the formation of the penis, are not united in a 

 single organ. The clitoris, with its corpora cavernosa and its glans, 

 represents the corpora cavernosa and glans of the penis ; the lulls 

 of the vestibule are morpho- 

 logically equivalent to the 

 corpus spongiosum of the 

 male urethra. 



The corpora cavernosa of 

 the clitoris are similar to 

 those of the penis, but much 

 thinner; in a state of flac- 

 cidity they have a length of 

 2 to 2'5 cm. and during erec- 

 tion a length of 3 to 4 cm. 

 The glans is a conical projec- 

 tion 5 to 6 mm. long which 

 contains cavernous tissue but 

 little developed owing to 

 the preponderating quantity 

 of interstitial connective 

 tissue. The clitoris is covered 9 

 by a prepuce which is a 

 dependent part of the labia 

 minora; its veins are much 

 developed, like those of the 



penis ; itS dorsal nerve is FIG. 69. Bulb of vestibule and clitoris from right 



distributed specially to the 

 glans, which is rich in 

 terminal corpuscles, even 

 more than that of the penis, 

 and on this account is the 

 most sensitive part of the 

 genital organs. 



The bulbs of the vestibule (Fig. 69) are two erectile organs 

 shaped like an almond, which converge with their anterior ex- 

 tremities, forming together a kind of horseshoe - shaped organ 

 open behind and surrounding the terminal tract of the urethra 

 and the ostium vaginae. They have been compared to a leech 

 full of blood, which during erection reaches a length of 3 to 5 

 cm. and a thickness of 1 cm. In structure they resemble the 

 bulb of the male urethra, of which they are the homologue, and, 

 like it, swell during erection but do not acquire rigidity, remaining 



side, with veins injected (in blue). (Kobelt-Rieffel.) 

 1, deep dorsal vessels and nerves of clitoris (artery 

 in red) ; 2, intermediate venous plexus ; 8, glans 

 of clitoris ; 4, vestibule of vagina ; 5, bulb of 

 vestibule ; 6, veins which emanate from posterior 

 extremity of bulb, and discharge into the pudendal 

 vein ; 7, veins which join the bulb with the 

 haemorrhoidal plexus ; 8, greater vestibular gland 

 (Bartholin's) ; 9, right root of clitoris ; 10, ob- 

 turator vein. 



