THE MALE URETHRA. 219 



a quarter of an inch in diameter, and is throughout stud- 

 ded, particularly on its floor, with the orifices of glands 

 (glands of Littre), opening forwards. About five inches 

 behind the orifice is another pouch-like dilatation con- 

 tained within the bulb, into the floor of which open the 

 ducts of Cowper's glands. 



Membranous Portion. This is the narrowest portion 

 of the tube throughout its length, excepting the sphincter- 

 like orifice, and is contained between the layers of the 

 triangular ligament ; it measures about three-fourths of 

 an inch along its upper, and half an inch along its lower 

 surface, and consists of mucous membrane, elastic, erec- 

 tile, and muscular tissue. 



The prostatic portion is the widest and most dilatable 

 portion of the urethra ; it is about an inch and a quarter 

 long, and lies nearer the upper than the lower portions 

 of the gland, and its tube is of greater calibre in the 

 middle than at either entrance or exit ; on its floor, at 

 the neck of the bladder, is the uvula vesica?, in front of 

 which is a ridge of mucous membrane, rather deeper 

 behind than before, called the veru montanum or caput 

 gattinaginis, having on either side of it a pouch or sinus, 

 into which open the prostatic ducts. At the fore part of 

 the veru montanum is a cul-de-sac, running upwards 

 and backwards beneath the middle lobe, containing on 

 its floor the openings of the ejaculatory ducts ; it is called 

 the sinus pocularis. 



Next, let the urethra be examined as existing during 

 life, as it would present itself to the surgeon. 



The urethra may be thus divided into a penile and a 

 periueal portion, and the individual lying on his back, 

 the usual position for catheterism, its direction can be 

 conveniently described as an ascending portion, ter- 



