THE PERINEUM, FEMALE. 423 



differences will be marked ; these differences are believed to 

 be justified by a careful examination of the subject (living 

 as well as dead) and from the conclusions of other ob- 

 servers. 



The Vulva. " The external genitals of the female, ex- 

 cepting the mons veneris " (" Foster's Dictionary "). 



The Pudendum. " The external genitals (especially 

 those of the female, including the vulva and mons veneris ") 

 (same). Quain uses the terms synonymously to include 

 the mons veneris, labia majora and minora, the hymen or 

 its remains, the clitoris, and meatus urinarius. 



(1) The Mons Veneris. The fatty elevation covering 

 the pubes. 



(2) The Labia Majora. The homologue of the scrotum, 

 remaining permanently cleft along the middle line (this 

 cleft is the rima pudendi, or genitalis). The labia majora 

 form two elevations reaching from the mons veneris in front 

 toward the tendinous centre of the perineum. The posterior 

 junction of these labia is said to form the posterior com- 

 missure, but an examination of the subject (living and dead) 

 will convince any one that they do not unite in this manner, 

 but flatten out into the smooth covering of the perineum. 



(3) The Labia Minora. Related morphologically to the 

 integument and foreskin of the penis. They are two folds 

 of integument (the word is used advisedly) smaller than 

 the labia majora, located internal to the labia majora, by 

 which they are usually concealed from sight. They are 

 joined in front over the clitoris, forming its prepuce, and 

 behind by the fourchette, a thin fold of membrane. 



(4) The Clitoris. Akin to the penis of the male. Its 

 blunt extremity is called the g-lans clitoridis, and is cov- 

 ered by the prepuce, formed by the labia minora. 



