DESCENT OF THE TESTES. 745 



lower end is a peculiar structure, the gubernaculum testis, which is said to assist 

 in their descent. 



The Gubernaculum Testis attains its full development between the fifth and 

 sixth months ; it is a conical-shaped cord, attached above to the lower end of the 

 epididymis, and below to the bottom of the scrotum. It is placed behind the 

 peritoneum, lying upon the front of the Psoas muscle, and completely filling the 

 inguinal canal. It consists of a soft transparent areolar tissue within, which often 

 appears partially hollow, surrounded by a layer of striped muscular fibres, the 

 Cremaster, which ascends upon this body to be attached to the testis. According 

 to Mr. Curling, the gubernaculum, as well as these muscular fibres, divides below 

 into three processes ; the external and broadest process is connected with Poupart's 

 ligament in the inguinal canal ; the middle process descends along the inguinal canal 

 to the bottom of the scrotum, where it joins the dartos ; the internal one is firmly 

 attached to the os pubis and sheath of the Eectus muscle; some fibres, moreover, 

 are reflected from the Internal oblique on to the front of the gubernaculum. Up 

 to the fifth month, the testis is situated in the lumbar region, covered in front and 

 at the sides by peritoneum, and supported in its position by a fold of this mem- 

 brane, the mesorchium ; between the fifth and sixth months the testis descends to 

 the iliac fossa, the gubernaculum at the same time becoming shortened ; during 

 the seventh month, it enters the internal abdominal ring, a small pouch of perito- 

 neum (processus vaginalis) preceding the testis in its course through the canal. 

 By the end of the eighth month, the testis has descended into the scrotum, carry- 

 ing down with it a lengthened pouch of peritoneum, which communicates by its 

 upper extremity with the peritoneal cavity. Just before birth, the upper part of 

 this pouch becomes closed, and this obliteration extends gradually downwards to 

 within a short distance of the testis. The process of peritoneiim surrounding the 

 testis, which is now entirely cut off from the general peritoneal cavity, constitutes 

 the tunica vaginalis. 



Mr. Curling considers that the descent of the testis is effected by means of the 

 muscular fibres of the gubernaculum ; those fibres which proceed from Poupart's 

 ligament and the Obliquus internus are said to guide the organ into the inguinal 

 canal ; those attached to the pubis draw it below the external abdominal ring ; and 

 those attached to the bottom of the scrotum complete its descent. During the 

 descent of the organ these muscular fibres become gradually everted, forming a 

 muscular layer, which becomes placed external to the process of peritoneum, 

 surrounding the gland and spermatic cord, and constitutes the Cremaster. In the 

 female, a small cord, corresponding to the gubernaculum in the male, descends to 

 the inguinal region, and ultimately forms the round ligament of the uterus. A 

 pouch of peritoneum accompanies it along the inguinal canal, analogous to the 

 processus vaginalis in the male ; it is called the canal of Nuck. 



