FEMALE ORGANS OF GENERATION 225 



The mons veneris is the eminence in front of the pubes, 



covered with hair. 



The labia majora are two prominent folds extending from 

 the mons to the perineum. Externally they are covered with 

 hair and integument, internally with mucous membrane; the 

 labia are joined together anteriorly and posteriorly, forming 

 commissures. A small transverse fold of mucous membrane 

 is found in the posterior commissure called the fourchette ; the 

 space between this and the posterior commissure is known as 

 the fossa navicularis . 



The labia minora or nymphse are two folds of mucous 

 membrane, extending for i\ inches downwards and outwards 

 from the clitoris, finally losing themselves below in the labia 

 majora. They surround the clitoris, the upper folds forming 

 the preputium clitoridis, the lower ones, attached o the glands, 

 being the fmnum. 



The clitoris, corresponding somewhat in structure to' the 

 penis, is placed just below the anterior commissure. It con- 

 sists of two corpora cavernosa attached to the pubic rami by 

 two crura ; the free extremity or glans is formed by the corpus 

 spongiosum. Between the nymphae, and bounded anteriorly 

 by the clitoris, is the vestibule, at the back part of which the 

 meatus urinanus opens, being about i inch below the clitoris. 



The Bulb of the Vestibule. A mass of erectile tissue lying 

 internal to the nymphas, and resting on the inferior surface of 

 the triangular ligament. 



Below the meatus is the orifice of the vagina, closed more 

 or less in the virgin by the hymen, which is a duplicature of 

 mucous membrane, generally semilunar in shape. After its 

 rupture small elevations, carunculcs myrtiformes, only remain. 



The glands of Bartholin, analogous to Cowper's glands in 

 the male, are situated on each side near the entrance of the 

 vagina, and their ducts open on the nymphae, external to the 

 hymen. 



The urethra in the female is only i inches long, and is 

 embedded in the anterior wall of the vagina ; it perforates the 

 triangular ligament, as in the mala. The meatus urinarius, the 

 external orifice of the urethra, opens between the nymphae, 

 about an inch below and behind the clitoris. 



The vagina is a dilatable canal, the axis of which is naturally 

 transverse, extending from the vulva to the uterus ; the an- 

 terior wall is about 3^ inches and the posterior wall 4^ inches 

 long. The upper end widens to receive the neck of the 

 uterus, which it meeis at an anglu anteriorly of about 

 90 degrees. 



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