PENIS. 801 



The glandular substance is composed of numerous follicular pouches, opening 

 into elongated canals, which join to form from twelve to twenty small excre- 

 tory ducts. The follicles are connected together by areolar tissue, supported 

 by prolongations from the fibrous capsule, and inclosed in a delicate capillary 

 plexus. The epithelium lining the canals is columnar, whilst that in the termi- 

 nal vesicles is of the sqaurnous variety. 



The muscular tissue of the prostate is arranged in the form of 1 circular bands 

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

 sphincter vesica3, and in front with the circular fibres of the urethra. The mus- 

 cular 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 haBmorrhoidal. 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 en- 

 larged, 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 mem- 

 branous portion of the urethra, between the two layers of the deep perineal 

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

 of the Compressor Urethra 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 mem- 

 brane, 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 extremity or glans 

 penis. 



The root is broad, and firmly connected to therami 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 art obtuse cone, flattened 

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

 urethra (meatus urinarius); at the back part of this orifice a fold ot mucous 

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

 continuous with the prepuce ; this fold is termed the frsenum 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 nume- 

 rous small lenticular sebaceous glands are found, the glandulse Tysonii, g.odoriferse. 

 They secrete a sebaceous matter of very peculiar odor, which probably con- 

 tains caseine, and 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 thin- 



51 



