2 Diseases of the Genital Orga?is 



side. The Wolffian duct, after the virtual elimination of the 

 Wolffian body, undergoes elaboration to constitute the body 

 and tail of the epididymis and the vas deferens. 



The artery of the testicle derived from the posterior aorta, 

 is at first very short, but with the descent of the gland into 

 the scrotum, it becomes one of the longest unbranched arter- 

 ies in the body. The artery with its satellite vein, nerves, 

 and lymphatics, and the investing peritoneum, constitutes 

 the vascular or spermatic cord, one of the three fundamental 

 connections of the testicle with the body walls. 



A second attachment of the testicle to the body wall con- 

 sists of the fibrous, cord-like gubernaculum testis. It is 

 formed at about the same date as the genital ridge and ex- 

 tends from that part of the external integument, which is to 

 constitute the fundus of the scrotum through the inguinal 

 space, internal inguinal ring, and thence outside the peri- 

 toneum, upward, forward, and inward across the tail of the 

 epididymis to the posterior end of the testicle to which it is 

 attached. 



As the testicle increases in volume and weight, it drops 

 down into the peritoneal cavity towards the internal in- 

 guinal ring. In its descent the three attachments of the 

 testicle, the vascular or spermatic cord (artery, vein, nerves, 

 and lymphatics), vas deferens, and gubernaculum testis, 

 each drags with it the peritoneum which furnishes to each 

 structure a double fold, thus maintaining the continuity of 

 the visceral with the parietal peritoneum, resulting in three 

 double peritoneal folds, as shown in Fig. 1. When the testi- 

 cle descends into the scrotum, the gubernaculum shortens 

 throughout its course. In solipeds the tension of the guber- 

 naculum, prior to the complete descent of the testicle, exerts 

 a degree of traction upon its scrotal attachment sufficient to 

 cause a depression or dimple in the scrotum. The approach 

 of the testicle to the internal inguinal ring is accompanied 

 by an evagination of peritoneum through it anterior to the 

 gubernaculum, to constitute the processus vaginalis, which 

 eventually forms the parietal peritoneum of the scrotum. 

 When the testicle descends, it and the spermatic cord carry 



