THE VULVA. 187 



FEMALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 

 THE VULVA. 



Enumerate the Organs comprised in the Vulva. They are the Mons 

 Veneris, the Labia Majora, Labia Minora, Clitoris, Meatus Urinarius, and the 

 Orifice of the Vagina. 



Describe the Labia Majora. They are two prominent folds formed of 

 skin, mucous membrane, areolar and dartoid tissues; are joined together at 

 the mons veneris, forming the Anterior Commissure, and also in front of the 

 perineum, where they form the Posterior Commissure. 



What are the Labia Minora ? The Labia Minora or Nymphae are two 

 folds of mucous membrane, lost posteriorly in the labia majora, but anteriorly 

 they vjmbrace the clitoris, forming the Prepuce of that organ. 



Describe the other Parts comprised in the Vulva. The 



Mons Veneris, is the eminence in front of the pubes. It is formed of adi- 

 pose tissue, and at puberty becomes covered with hair. 



Clitoris,^ is situated beneath the anterior FIG. 93. 



commissure, its Glans only appearing as a 

 small rounded tubercle between the anterior 

 extremities of the labia minora. It is a 

 diminutive penis in all but the urethra, hav- 

 ing a body, two crura, a glans, prepuce, 

 suspensory ligament and muscles, the erec- 

 tores clitoridis. 



Bulbi Vestibuli* are two oblong masses extending from the clitoris along 

 the sides of the vestibule, and consisting of a venous plexus surrounded by 

 a fibrous membrane. 



Pars Intermedia, is a small venous plexus situated between the glans clito- 

 ridis and the bulbi vestibuli. 



Vestibttle, is a triangular depression in front of the vaginal orifice, bounded 

 laterally by the labia minora. 



Meatus Urinarius, ^ situated in the vestibule, about an inch below the cli- 

 toris, and close to the vaginal orifice. 



Orifice of the Vagina," 1 is surrounded by the sphincter vaginae muscle, and 

 in the virgin is sometimes partly closed by the hymen. 



Hymen, a fold of mucous membrane situated across the lower part of tbe 

 vaginal orifice, of various shapes, but usually semilunar, the concavity 

 upwards. It is frequently absent in virgins, and after sexual intercourse its 

 rupture and cicatrization give rise to small eminences along the margin of 

 the vaginal orifice, named the Caruncula Myrtiformes. 



