THE SPERMATIC CORD. 141 



the septum scroti, and leave a pouch on each side for the lodg- 

 ment of the testicles, cords, and three inner tunics, and is finally 

 inserted upon the lower portion of the corpus spongiosum urethrae. 

 Meckel suggested that the tissue of the dartos forms the transi- 

 tion between cellular tissue and muscular fibre, and that there 

 exists between it and the other muscles of the body, the same 

 relation as exists between the muscles of the superior and infe- 

 rior animals ; in the latter of which the fibrous structure, is but 

 feebly developed. 



The so-called dartos muscle, is now generally admitted as 

 holding the place of superficial fascia to the scrotum, and con- 

 sisting of the modification of cellular membrane known, as the 

 red contractile fibrous tissue. 



The Spermatic Cord. 



The cord which proceeds to the testicle, through the abdo- 

 minal ring, appears at first view like a bundle of muscular fibres ; 

 but it consists of an artery and veins with many lymphatic ves- 

 sels and nerves, and the excretory duct of the testicle ; these 

 are connected to each other by cellular substance, and covered 

 by an expansion of muscular fibres, which are derived from the 

 lower edge of the internal oblique muscle of the abdomen, and 

 continue from it to the upper part of the testicle. These fibres 

 constitute the Cremaster Muscle. 



This cellular substance which encloses both the cord and 

 testicle, with the cremaster muscle (elythroid tunic) on its outer 

 face, forms the tunica vaginalis cummunis. It is a thin layer, 

 and serves to connect the dartos, to the tunica serosa, within. 

 The cremaster* muscle, is formed by an arched arrangement 

 of the fibres of the internal oblique and transversalis muscles 

 of the abdomen, according to the observations of J. Cloquet, 

 made upon a considerable number of foetuses, before, during, 

 and after the descent of the testes. The fibres originally passed 

 from Poupart's ligament to the pubis, nearly in a straight direc- 

 tion ; but as the testicle descended through its canal to the scro- 

 tum, these fibres were pushed before it -and formed into arches or 

 loops, which increased gradually in length, partly by distention 



* From X/36/za>, suspendo. P. 



