178 GENERAL ANATOMY OF ERECTILE TISSUE. 



After an examination of the relative situation of the muscles and blood-vessels 

 of the male organs of generation, there appears reason to doubt, whether the 

 erection of the penis can be referred to pressure upon the veins which return 

 from that organ. Albinus has written on this subject. See Academicarum 

 An notation urn. lib. ii. caput xviii. Haller has also considered it, and stated 

 the opinions of several anatomists, in his Elemenia Physiologic, torn. vii. 

 page 555. 



The manner in which the urine is confined in the bladder does not appear to be 

 clearly understood. The connexion of the neck of the bladder with the pros- 

 tate, and the appearance of the contiguous parts of the bladder, do not ren- 

 der it probable that these parts act like a sphincter. The late J. Hunter, who 

 paid great attention to the functions of these organs, was very decided in his 

 opinion that the contraction of the urethra produced the effect of a sphincter 

 of the bladder. He has published some very ingenious observations respect- 

 ing the manner in which urine is discharged from the bladder, in his Treatise 

 on the Venereal Disease, part iii. chapter ix. 



Mr. Hunter also long since asserted, that the vascular convoluted appearance of 

 the corpus spongiosum urethras was more distinct in the horse than the man. 

 In the fifth volume of Lemon's d'Anatomie Comparee of Cuvier, the very 

 learned and ingenious author confirms the declaration of Hunter, respecting 

 the vascular convolutions of the corpus spongiosum of the horse. He states, 

 that the corpora cavernosa of the penis of the elephant appear to be filled in 

 a great degree with the ramifications of veins which communicate with each 

 other by such large and frequent anastomoses, that they have a cellular ap- 

 pearance. A similar structure exists in the horse, camel, bullock, deer, &c. ; 

 and [in them all these communicating branches can be distinguished from 

 those which extend the whole length of the penis. 



The corpus spongiosum urethras, according to M. Cuvier, is constructed in a 

 similar manner. From these facts he is induced to believe that this structure 

 pervades the whole class of mammalia. 



General Anatomy of Erectile Tissue. 



The term erectile tissue, tela erectilis, was first adopted 

 by Dupuytren and Rullier, to indicate various parts which are 

 principally composed of blood-vessels, intimately interwoven 

 with nerves, and which, under various causes of excitement, 

 mechanical or sensorial, are rendered turgid and prominent, 

 or thrown into a state of erection by a sudden influx of blood. 

 This system includes the corpus cavernosum penis, corpus 

 spongiosum urethrse, clitoris, nymphae, plexus retiformis 

 vaginae, nipples, cutaneous papillae, mucous villi, red borders 

 of the lips, and, according to Harrison, the seminal tubercle or 

 caput gallinaginis. It is supposed by some to exist in the iris, 

 and Beclard is disposed to include in this tissue the spleen. It 



