THE FEMALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



403 



the name of vulva. The mons veneris is a cushion of fat 

 placed above the pubes. It is covered with hair. The 

 labia majora are two folds which elliptically surround the 

 gen ito-urinary fissure. They are continuous above, but 

 become less marked as they descend. They are con- 

 nected posteriorly by the posterior commissure. The 

 skin of -the labia is pigmented, covered by short hair, 

 and is lined internally by 

 mucous membrane. Stretched 

 between the posterior extremi- 

 ties of the labia is a delicate 

 fold of mucous membrane, the 

 fourchette. The depression 

 between it and the posterior 

 commissure is called the fossa 

 navicularis. The labia minora 

 are two well-marked folds of 

 mucous membrane which pro- 

 ject from the inner border of 

 each labium and are continu- 

 ous with one another across 

 the clitoris, where they sepa- 

 rate into two layers inclosing 

 the clitoris, forming its pre- 

 puce. They are entirely defi- 

 cient at the posterior third of 

 the genital fissure. They con- 

 sist of mucous membrane inclosing erectile tissue. They 

 are abundantly supplied with mucous and sebaceous 

 glands. The clitoris is situated in the median line, 

 below the junction of the labia majora anteriorly and 

 between the labia minora. It arises by two crura from 

 the rami of the ischium and pubes, and consists of 

 two adjoining corpora cavernosa surmounted by a glans. 



FIG. 172. THE VULVA. 



1, labia majora; 2, fourchette: 3, labia 

 minora; 4, clitoris; 5, meatus urinarius; 6, 

 vestibule ; 7, orifice of vagina ; 8. hymen ; 



9, orifice of duct of vulvo-vaginal giand ; 



10, anterior commissure ; 11, anus. 



