214 



ANATOMY OF THE ABDOMEN, ETC. 



with the sub-mucous cellular tissue, they cross each othei 

 at their point of convergence, and form the uvula vesicae 

 they then become continuous with the longitudinal mus 

 cular fibres of the urethra. They are called the muscles oj 

 the ureters, and serve to occlude the orifice of the uretei 

 and to open the neck of the bladder. 



MALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 1 



VESICUL^E SKMINALES AND PROSTATE. 



The vesiculae seminales lie imbedded in a mass of cellular tissue 

 at the base of the^ladder; this is to be removed, and the prostate is 

 also to be isolated from the veins and fascia investing it. 



The VEsrcuL^E SEMINALES are two flattened, oblong 

 bodies, situated upon each side of the inferior and external 

 surface of the bladder, closely adhering to it, and con- 

 verging from a point near the termination of the ureters 

 to meet at the base of the prostate. Each vesicle consists 

 of a coiled and sacculated tube, the convolutions of which 

 are closely united to each other. 



The VAS DEFERENS, a firm, fibrous tube, lined inter- 

 nally with mucous membrane, commences at the epididymia 

 of the testicle, and accompanies the veins and arteries 

 composing the spermatic cord, to the internal abdominal 

 ring ; it then leaves the vein and artery to pass down into 

 the pelvis, and, getting behind the . bladder, descends 

 between it and the rectum to the inner side of the vesi- 

 cula seminalis ; it here becomes dilated, assumes a some- 

 what sacculated condition, and ends by blending with the 

 excretory duct of the vesicula, to form the ductus coin- 

 munis ejaculatorius, which, passing through the under sur- 

 face of the prostate, ferminates in the urethra. 



The PROSTATE is a body shaped like a chestnut, which 

 surrounds the neck of the bladder and the commencement 

 of the urethra ; its pointed extremity is directed forward. 

 It is invested by a dense fascia, and by a very noticeable 

 plexus of veins called the prostatic plexus, which communi- 

 cates with the dorsal vein of the penis, and the hemor- 

 rhoidal veins of the rectum. 



The prostate is composed of two lateral lobes, the division 

 of which is not always well marked. The third lobe, d< 



1 The female organs of generation are described at the close of this 

 dissection. 



