THE PERINEAL RAPHE 549 



the textures of the perineum and associated anatomical 

 parts. 



It was suggested that the ejection of the testicular 

 contents was, to a considerable extent, assisted by the 

 inherent contractile powers of the scrotal sac, owing to 

 a property of contractility, akin to that of muscle, with 

 which its component fibres are endowed, and which act 

 under the apparently combined nerve stimuli of the sym- 

 pathetic and systemic nervous systems. 



The other great excretory acts in which the perineal 

 and adjacent structures have from time to time to be 

 engaged, viz. those in which the bladder and the bowel 

 are respectively engaged, if we patiently analyse them, will 

 be found to be similarly determined, although carried out 

 on their own distinctive lines, as determined by the 

 particular viscus involved, and, consequently, the nature 

 of the excretory acts. Occupying, as they do, the floor, or 

 most dependent part, of the human body, and, therefore, 

 the situation best adapted for the occurrence of the two 

 great functions of excretion proper, as well as the some- 

 what kindred functions of menstruation and exfoetation or 

 child-bearing, we find laid down on their supporting 

 textures a system of storage and disposal structures which, 

 for combined simplicity, complexity, perfection of struc- 

 tural arrangement, and the adaptation of " means to ends," 

 may be regarded as unsurpassed in the whole array of 

 designs observable within the human economy. 



Each of the viscera concerned, being a storage organ or 

 space of limited capacity, requires to be possessed of the 

 power of emptying itself when the limit of that capacity 

 has been reached. Consequently, we find that it responds 

 first to the unconscious influence of sympathetic nerve 

 impulse, due to afferent or sensory influence, and conse- 

 quent reflex or efferent stimulus, to the involuntary 

 musculature implicated, through the sympathetic nerva- 

 ture ; and, secondly, in consequence of this, to an appeal 

 to the systemic nervature, which brings to its aid the 

 connected voluntary musculature, wherever available, 

 throughout the abdominal walls, and even more distant 

 parts. This compound nerve disturbance, or sympa- 

 thetico-systemic nerve storm, and accompanying muscular 



