120 SCROTUM AND TESTICLES. 



unravelled, it is a tube five inches in length, with nunierous pouches 

 or cseca. 



The duct of the vesicle is joined by the vas deferens on either 

 side in the prostate gland ; the junction forms the ductus ejaculato- 

 rius, which, passing through the prostate, opens into the urethra in 

 front of the caput gallinaginis. They contain a mixture of mucus 

 and semen. 



PROSTATE GLAND. 



This is a dense hard structure, about the size of a horse-chestnut, 

 which surrounds the neck of the bladder and the commencement of 

 the urethra. It is of a light colour, and somewhat triangular in 

 shape, the point being in front. It is placed between the rectum 

 which is behind, and the triangular ligament in front. 



It is enveloped in a fascia ; and may be divided into two lateral 

 and a middle lobe. The urethra perforates the middle lobe,^ and 

 the projection of the uvula vesicae and verumontanum are partially 

 formed by it. 



Its structure is composed of tubes united by condensed and hard 

 cellular tissue. The secretion is thick and white, and is discharged 

 by orifices into the urethra on each side of the verumontanum. 



Cowpefs glands}^ — These are two in number ; placed in front 

 of the prostate, and included between the two laminae of the trian- 

 gular ligament. They are about the size of a pea, and of a yellow 

 colour ; secreting a mucous fluid which is discharged into the ure- 

 thra about an inch in front of the gland. 



SCROTUM AND TESTICLES. 



The scrotum is a bag-like covering for the testicles formed ex- 

 ternally of skin, which is of a dark colour, and thickly covered 

 by hairs and studded with sebaceous follicles. The skin is loose 

 and thin ; on its middle is a ridge still darker in colour, which 

 reaches from the anus to the prepuce, called the raphe. The trans- 

 verse wrinkles of the scrotum which cold produces, are due to a 

 structure immediately beneath and intimately connected with the 

 skin, called the dartos. 



T'he dartos is a dense, reddish, contractile covering, divided by a 

 partition into two bags. It was once considered muscular, and the 

 remains of the gubernaculum testis ; it is partly composed of the 

 yellow fibrous elastic tissue. Its contractions are involuntary. 



The position of the testicle in foetal life, and its descent, have been 

 noticed under the head of inguinal hernia. Beneath the dartos is a 

 covering of fascia, which may be called the tunica vaginalis com- 

 munis testis^ partly formed by the superficial and transversalis 

 fasciae. 



The cremaster muscle sends a few fibres and loops upon the an- 

 terior and upper part of the testicle. 



