1016 THE MALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



pillars of the external abdominal ring, during the descent of the testes in the 

 foetus, which is prolonged downward around the surface of the cord and testis. It 

 is separated from the dartos by loose areolar tissue, which allows of considerable 

 movement of the latter upon it, but is intimately connected with the succeeding 

 layers. 



The cremasteric fascia consists of scattered bundles of muscular fibres 

 (Cremaster muscle) connected together into a continuous covering by intermediate 

 areolar tissue. The muscular fibres are continuous with the lower border of the 

 Internal oblique muscle (see page 360). 



The infundibuliform fascia is a thin membranous layer, which loosely invests 

 the surface of the cord. It is a continuation downward of the fascia transversalis. 

 Beneath it is a quantity of loose connective tissue which connects this layer of 

 fascia with the spermatic cord and posterior part of the testicle. This connective 

 tissue is continuous above with the subserous areolar tissue of the abdomen. These 

 two layers, the infundibuliform fascia and the tissue beneath it, are known collec- 

 tively as the fascia propria. 



The tunica vaginalis is described with the testis. 



Vessels and Nerves. The arteries supplying the coverings of the testis are : 

 the superficial and deep external pudic, from the femoral ; the superficial perineal 

 branch of the internal pudic ; and the cremasteric branch from the epigastric. The 

 veins follow the course of the corresponding arteries. The lymphatics terminate 

 in the inguinal glands. The nerves are : the ilio-inguinal branch of the lumbar 

 plexus, the two superficial perineal branches of the internal pudic nerve, the inferior 

 pudendal branch of the small sciatic nerve, and the genital branch of the genito- 

 crural nerve. 



The Spermatic Cord extends from the internal abdominal ring, where the 

 structures of which it is composed converge, to the back part of the testicle. In 

 the abdominal wall the cord passes obliquely along the inguinal canal, lying at 

 first between the Internal oblique and upon the fascia transversalis ; but nearer the 

 pubes it rests upon Poupart's ligament, having the aponeurosis of the External 

 oblique in front of it and the conjoined tendon behind it. It then escapes at the 

 external ring, and descends nearly vertically into the scrotum. The left cord is 

 rather longer than the right, consequently the left testis hangs somewhat lower 

 than its fellow. 



Structure of the Spermatic Cord. The spermatic cord is composed of arteries, 

 veins, lymphatics, nerves, and the excretory duct of the testicle. These structures 

 are connected together by areolar tissue, and invested by the layers brought down 

 by the testicle in its descent. 



The arteries of the cord are : the spermatic, from the aorta ; the artery of the 

 vas deferens, from the superior vesical ; the cremasteric, from the deep epigastric. 



The spermatic artery, a branch of the abdominal aorta, escapes from the 

 abdomen at the internal or deep abdominal ring, and accompanies the other con- 

 stituents of the spermatic cord along the inguinal canal and through the external 

 abdominal ring into the scrotum. It then descends to the testicle, and, becoming 

 tortuous, divides into several branches, two or three of which accompany the 

 vas deferens and supply the epididymis, anastomosing with the artery of the vas 

 deferens ; others pierce the back of the tunica albuginea and supply the substance 

 of the testis. 



The cremasteric artery is a branch of the deep epigastric artery. It accom- 

 panies the spermatic cord and supplies the Cremaster muscle and other coverings 

 of the cord, anastomosing with the spermatic artery, 



The artery of the vas deferens, a branch of the superior vesical, is a long slender 

 vessel which accompanies the vas deferens, ramifying upon the coats of that duct, 

 and anastomosing with the spermatic artery near the testis. 



The spermatic veins emerge from the back of the testis and receive tributaries 

 from the epididymis ; they unite and form a convoluted plexus (plexus pampini- 

 formis), which forms the chief mass of the cord : the vessels composing this plexus 



