THE SCKOTUM. 



1297 



with which it is continuous round the margins of the subcutaneous inguinal ring. 

 The fascia cremasterica consists partly of muscular fibres derived from the lower 

 part of the internal oblique muscle, and partly of delicate connective tissue. 

 The muscular fibres constitute the cremaster muscle and, passing down over the 

 funiculus, form a series of loops round the testis and tunica vaginalis. The internal 

 spermatic fascia is derived from the fascia transversalis of the abdomen. It 

 passes downwards as a continuous sheath over the cord, and encloses its various 

 structures, together with a certain amount of areolar tissue derived from the 

 subperitoneal tissue of the abdominal wall and some smooth muscle fibres. 



In addition to the structures enumerated above, the artery to the ductus deferens, the 

 external spermatic (O.T. cremasteric) artery, and the genital branch (n. spermaticus externus) 

 of the genito-femoral nerve, accompany the structures forming the funiculus spermaticus. 



1 



SCROTUM. 



The scrotum, in which the testes are placed, varies much in appearance in 

 different subjects, and even in the same individual at different times. As the 



Cut edge of aponeurosis of external oblique 



Internal oblique 

 Burosis of external oblique 

 edge) _ J^ 



Subcutaneous inguinal ring 



Aponeurosis of 

 external oblique 



Ligamentum inguinale 



Cremaster innscle 



Funiculus spermaticus 

 Falx aponeurotica ("conjoined tendon ") 



Suspensory ligament of penis 



: ; '. Ductus deferens 



| Pubic tubercle 

 | Ductus deferens 

 Inter columnar fascia 



-DISSECTION TO SHOW THE FUNICULUS SPERMATICUS AS IT ISSUES FROM THE SUBCUTANEOUS 

 NGUINAL RING. On the right-hand side of the figure the funiculus has been cut across, and the 

 structures composing it are seen in section. On the left-hand side of the figure the external oblique 

 muscle has been removed. 



result of cold or of exercise, the wall of the scrotum becomes contracted and firm, 



the skin covering it wrinkled; at other times the wall may be relaxed 



flaccid, the scrotum then assuming the appearance of a pendulous bag. .The 



:t side of the scrotum reaches to a lower level than the right, in correspondence 



ith the lower level of the testis on that side of the body. The skin covering 



scrotum is of a darker colour than the general skin of the body, and is 



red with hair. It is marked in the median plane by the raphe scroti, which is 



Continued backwards towards the anus, and forwards on to the inferior, or 



Jthral, surface of the penis. The difference in the appearance of the scrotum 



t different times is due to the amount of contraction or relaxation of a layer of 



83 



