THE TESTES. 1155 



The tunica vaginalis is described with the proper covering of the testis. 



Vessels and Nerves. The arteries supplying the coverings of the testis are : 

 the superficial and deep external pudic, from the femoral ; the superficial perineal 

 branch of the internal pudic ; and the cremasteric branch from the epigastric. The 

 veins follow the course of the corresponding arteries. The lymphatic* terminate 

 in the inguinal glands. The nerves are : the ilio-inguinal branch of the lumbar 

 plexus, the two superficial perineal branches of the internal pudic nerve, the inferior 

 pudendal branch of the small sciatic nerve, and the genital branch of the genito- 

 crural nerve. 



The Spermatic Cord extends from the internal abdominal ring, where the 

 structures of which it is composed converge, to the back part of the testicle. In 

 the abdominal wall the cord passes obliquely along the inguinal canal, resting on 

 Poupart's ligament. It lies at first between the Internal oblique and the fascia 

 transversal is : but nearer the pubes it has the aponeurosis of the External oblique 

 in front of it and the conjoined tendon behind it. It then escapes at the external 

 ring, and descends nearly vertically into the scrotum. The left cord is rather 

 longer than the right, consequently the left testis hangs somewhat lower than its 

 fellow. 



Structure of the Spermatic Cord. The spermatic cord is composed of arteries, 

 veins, lymphatics, nerves, the excretory duct of the testicle, and a thin fibrous 

 cord, the remains of the peritoneal pouch, caused by the descent of the testicle. 

 These structures are connected together by areolar tissue, and invested by the fas- 

 ciae brought down by the testicle in its descent. 



The arteries of the cord are : the spermatic, from the aorta ; the artery of the 

 vas tk't'erens. from the superior vesical ; the cremasteric, from the deep epigastric. 



The spermatic artery, a branch of the abdominal aorta, escapes from the 

 abdomen at the internal or deep abdominal ring, and accompanies the other con- 

 stituents of the spermatic cord along the inguinal canal and through the external 

 abdominal ring into the scrotum. It then descends to the testicle, and, becoming 

 tortuous, divides into several branches, two or three of which accompany the 

 vas deferens and supply the epididyinis, anastomosing with the artery of the vas 

 deferens ; others pierce the back of the tunica albuginea and supply the substance 

 of the testis. 



The cremasteric art, -ry is a branch of the deep epigastric artery. It accom- 

 panies the spermatic cord and supplies the Cremaster muscle and other coverings 

 of the cord, anastomosing \vith the spermatic artery, 



The artery of the vas deferens, a branch of the superior vesical, is a long slender 

 vessel which accompanies the vas deferens, ramifying upon the coats of that duct, 

 and anastomosing with the spermatic artery near the testis. 



The spermatic veins emeYge from the back of the testis and receive tributaries 

 from the epididymis ; they unite and form a convoluted plexus (plexus pampini- 

 f nr ID !.-<}, which forms the chief mass of the cord : the vessels composing this plexus 

 are very numerous, and ascend along the cord in front of the vas deferens ; below 

 the external or superficial abdominal ring thev unite to form three or four veins, 

 which pass along the spermatic canal, and, entering the abdomen through the 

 internal or deep abdominal ring, coalesce to form two veins. These again unite to 

 form a single vein, which opens on the right side into the inferior vena cava at an 

 acute angle, and on the left side into the renal vein at a right angle. 



The lymphatic vessels terminate in the lumbar glands. 



The nerves are the spermatic plexus from the sympathetic, joined by filaments 

 from the pelvic plexus which accompany the artery of the vas deferens. 



Surgical Anatomy. The scrotum forms an admirable covering for the protection of the 

 testicle. This body, lying suspended and loose in the cavity of the scrotum and surrounded by 

 a serous membrane, is capable of great mobility, and can therefore easily slip about within the 

 scrotum, and thus avoid injuries from blows or squeezes. The skin of the scrotum is very 

 elastic and capable of great distension, and on account of the looseness and amount of subcu- 

 taneous tissue the scrotum becomes greatly enlarged in cases of oedema, to which this part is 

 especially liable on account of its dependent position. The scrotum is frequently the seat of 



