736 MALE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 



round the urethra ; it is continuous behind with the circular fibres of the sphincter 

 vesicae, and in front with the circular fibres of the urethra. The muscular fibres 

 are of the involuntary kind. The prostatic ducts open into the floor of the 

 prostatic portion of the urethra. 



Vessels and Nerves. The arteries supplying the prostate are derived from the 

 internal pudic, vesical, and hemorrhoidal. Its veins form a plexus around the 

 sides and base of the gland ; they communicate in front with the dorsal vein of 

 the penis, and terminate in the internal iliac vein. The nerves are derived from 

 the hypogastric plexus. 



The Prostatic Secretion is a milky fluid, having an acid reaction, and presenting, 

 on microscopic examination, molecular matter, the squamous and columnar forms 

 of epithelium, and granular nuclei. In old age, this gland is liable to be enlarged, 

 and its ducts are often filled with innumerable small concretions, of a brownish-red 

 color, and of the size of a millet-seed, composed of carbonate of lime and animal 

 matter. 



COWPER'S GLANDS. 



Cowper's Glands are two small rounded and somewhat lobulated bodies, of a 

 yellowish color, about the size of peas, placed beneath the fore part of the 

 membranous portion of the urethra, between the two layers of the deep perineai 

 fascia. They lie close behind the bulb, and are inclosed by the transverse fibres 

 of the Compressor urethras muscle. Each gland consists of several lobules, held 

 together by a fibrous investment. The excretory duct of each gland, nearly an 

 inch in length, passes obliquely forwards beneath the mucous membrane, and 

 opens by a minute orifice on the floor of the bulbous portion of the urethra. 

 Their existence is said to be constant ; they gradually diminish in size as age 

 advances. 



THE PENIS. 



The Penis is the organ of copulation, and contains in its interior the larger - 

 portion of the urethra. It consists of a root, body, and the extremity or glans 

 penis. 



The root is broad and firmly connected to the rami of the pubes by two strong 

 tapering fibrous processes, the crura, and to the front of the symphysis pubis by 

 a fibrous membrane, the suspensory ligament. 



The extremity or glans penis presents the form of an obtuse cone, flattened from 

 above downwards. At its summit is a vertical fissure, the orifice of the urethra, 

 meatus urinarius ; and at the back part of this orifice a fold of mucous membrane 

 passes backwards to the bottom of a depressed raphe, where it is continuous with 

 the prepuce ; this fold is termed ihefrsenum preputii. The base of the glans forms 

 a rounded projecting border, the corona glandis ; and behind the corona is a deep 

 constriction, the cervix. Upon both of these parts numerous small lenticular 

 sebaceous glands are found, the glandulse Tysonii sou odoriferse. They secrete a 

 sebaceous matter of very peculiar odor, which probably contains casein, and 



U -111 



becomes easily decomposed. 



The body of the penis is the part between the root and the extremity. In the 

 flaccid condition of the organ it is cylindrical, but when erect has a triangular 

 prismatic form with rounded angles, the broadest side being turned upwards, and 

 called the dorsum. It is covered by integument remarkable for its thinness, its 

 dark color, its looseness of connection with the deeper parts of the organ, and 

 from containing no adipose tissue. At the root of the penis the integument is 

 continuous with that upon the pubes and scrotum ; and at the neck of the glans 

 it leaves the surface, and becomes folded upon itself to form the prepuce. 



The internal layer of the prepuce, which also becomes attached to the cervix, 

 approaches in character to a mucous membrane ; it is reflected over the glans 

 penis, and at the meatus urinarius is continuous with the mucous lining of the 

 urethra. 



