270 



attach- 

 ments ; 

 external 

 fleshy, 



internal 

 tendinous ; 



forms loops 

 over the 

 cord, 



giving rise 

 to cremas- 

 teric fascia 



DISSECTION OF THE ABDOMEN. 



outer sides, like the lowest fibres of the internal oblique, of which it 

 is essentially a part. Externally it is fleshy, and arises from Poupart's 

 ligament, below and in part beneath the internal oblique, with which 

 some of its fibres are connected. Internally it is narrow, and is 

 inserted by tendon into the front of the pubis, joining the tendon of 

 the internal oblique. 



Between the two points of attachment the fibres descend on the 

 front and sides of the cord, forming loops with the convexity down- 

 wards as far as, and over, 

 the testis. The bundles 

 of fibres are united by 

 areolar tissue so as to give 

 rise to a covering on the 

 front of the cord, which 

 is named the cremasteric 

 fascia. Occasionally the 

 fibres may be behind as 

 well as on the sides and 

 front of the cord. 



Action. It elevates the 

 testicle towards the ab- 

 domen, and in some cases 

 is under the influence of 

 the will ; but it may be 

 excited to contract involun- 

 tarily by cold, fear, &c. 



It will be remembered 

 that the fascia (tunica 

 dartos) of the scrotum is 

 reinforced by a number of 

 unstriped muscle fibres, and, 

 moreover, that it is con- 



FIG. 100. THE CREMASTER. THE LOWER nected with tne overlying 

 PART OF THE INTERNAL OBLIQUE, WITH 

 THE CREMASTER MUSCLE AND THR 



TESTICLE. 



A. External oblique, reflected. 



B. Internal oblique, 

 c. Rectus abdominis. 



D. Cremaster, with its loops over the 

 spermatic cord and the testicle. 



skin. Under the influence 

 of various stimuli (heat, 

 cold, &c.) the unstriped 

 muscle fibres contract, and 

 the scrotal tissues, as well 

 as the coverings of the 

 spermatic cord by the con- 

 traction of the cremaster, 

 pad in front of the testis, as it 



In left groin 

 replace the 

 parts. 



On right 

 side reflect 

 cremaster 



are puckered up to form a protectin 

 lies at the back of the scrotum. 



Dissection. On the left side of the body the student is not now 

 to make any further dissection of the abdominal wall ; and the layers 

 that have been reflected in the groin should be replaced until the 

 examination of that region is resumed in connection with hernia. 



On the right side the dissection is to be earned deeper by the 

 removal of the internal oblique and the cremaster. The last 



