1286 



THE UKO-GENITAL SYSTEM. 



THE MALE KEPKODUCTIVE OKGANS. 



We have here to describe (1) the testes or essential reproductive glands of the 

 male, together with their (2) coverings and (3) ducts, (4) the prostate, (5) the bulbo- 

 urethral glands, (6) the external genital organs, and (7) the male urethra. 



The reproductive glands of the male, or testes, are a pair of nearly symmetrical 

 oval-shaped bodies situated in the scrotum. The duct of each gland, at first 

 much twisted and intertwined, forms a structure known as the epididymis, which 

 is applied against the posterior and lateral part of the testis. From the epi- 

 didymis the excretory duct, or ductus deferens, passes upwards towards the inferior 

 part of the anterior abdominal wall, which it pierces very obliquely, to enter the 

 abdominal cavity. Here each ductus deferens is covered by the peritoneum, and 

 almost at once crossing the pelvic brim, enters the pelvis. The duct now runs on 

 the side wall of the pelvis towards the base of the bladder, where it comes into 

 relation with a branched tubular structure termed the vesicula seminalis. Joined 

 by the duct of the vesicula seminalis, the ductus deferens forms a short canal 

 called the ejaculatory duct, which terminates by opening into the prostatic part 

 of the urethra. The prostate, a partly glandular, partly muscular structure, 

 surrounding the first part of the urethra, and also a pair of small glandular bodies 

 called the bulbo-urethral glands, are accessory organs connected with the male 



reproductive system. The 

 ducts of the bulbo-urethral 

 glands and those of the pro- 

 state, like the ejaculatory ducts, 

 open into the urethra, which 

 thus serves not only as a pas- 

 sage for urine, but also for the 

 generative products. The ex- 

 ternal genitals are the penis and 

 scrotum. 



THE TESTIS. 



The male reproductive 

 glands, the testes, are a pair of 

 somewhat oval, slightly flat- 

 tened bodies of a whitish colour, 

 measuring about an inch and a 

 half in length, one inch from 

 before backwards, and rather 

 less in thickness. Each testis 

 is placed within the cavity of 

 the scrotum in such a manner 

 that its long axis is directed 

 upwards, slightly forwards, and 

 laterally, and usually the left 

 gland occupies a lower level 

 than the right. The testis 

 (Fig. 1003) has two somewhat 

 flattened surfaces, one of which, 

 called the facies lateralis, or 

 lateral surface, looks backwards as well as laterally ; the other, the facies medialis,. 

 or medial surface, looks forwards as well as medially, and is usually the more 

 flattened. The two surfaces are separated by two rounded borders, one of which 

 the margo anterior, is the more convex and free ; while the other, the margo posterior 

 is less rounded, and by it the organ is suspended within the scrotum. The 

 epididymis and the lowest portion of the funiculus spermaticus, or spermatic cord, art 



FIG. 1003. RIGHT TESTIS AND EPIDIDYMIS, EXPOSED BY THE 

 REMOVAL OP THE ANTERIOR WALL OF THE SCROTUM. 



