246 SPECIAL ANATOMY. 



wards. Length : from two to two inches and a half. Breadth : 

 six lines. Depth: from two to three lines. The internal surface 

 consists of a cavity divided into from ten to fifteen compartments 

 (of about six to eight lines long), is striated and in folds, like the 

 vas deferens, the external coat of which, however, is thicker. 

 They contain a yellowish brown viscous fluid. The anterior 

 pointed extremity of each seminal vesicle, which is surrounded 

 by the Prostata, forms the excretory duct which, united with the 

 vas deferens of each side, passes into the ductus ejaculatorius, the 

 ejaculatory duct for the semen, which, likewise, very short, but 

 with thin walls, oblique from above, downwards and inwards 

 through the basis prostatss, opens upon the veru montanum of 

 the urethra, with a narrow mouth, whilst its posterior extremity 

 is wider. 



Function of the testicle. It is to secrete the semen, which, 

 preserved in the seminal vesicles, is carried through the ductus 

 ejaculatorius into the urethra, and there mixes with the fluids of 

 the Prostate, and the glands of Cowper. 



480. 5. The prostate gland, glandula prostata, 

 a whitish conical gland, blunted in front, twelve lines thick, fifteen 

 long and eighteen broad, placed behind and below the Symphys. 

 pubisj before the neck of the bladder and the rectum, rather ob- 

 liquely from above and behind to below and before ; and is per- 

 forated by the urethra and the ductus ejaculatorii. Its inferior 

 surface rests upon the anterior surface of the rectum, attached by 

 uniting tissue, is flat, and in the centre separated by a longitudinal 

 groove into two equal parts. 



The superior surface lies under the ligg. pubo-prostatica, and 

 some lines below the pubic angle. The sides are surrounded by 

 M. levator ani. The basis, that is, the posterior extremity, pre- 

 sents two larger lateral lobes and a central, bean-shaped, hidden 

 between the two, surrounding the neck of the bladder, and farther 

 backwards the narrow portion of the seminal vesicles. The blunt 

 apex directed forwards and downwards terminates behind the pars 

 membran. urethrse. The canal for the urethra is situated rather 

 above the centre, is often open above, and placed in rare cases on 

 the inferior surface of the Prostata. 



Structure. The Parenchyma of the Prostate, which consists of lobules> 

 forms roundish glandular cells of fibrous tissue, surrounded by vascular rete. 

 The cells, closely compressed together, are connected with one another by 

 small canals, from the junction of which from twelve to fifteen excretory 

 ducts are formed, which pass obliquely from behind forwards in the gland, 

 and open close to the veru montanum, with very fine orifices, into the urethra, 

 for the purpose of discharging a whitish viscous fluid, liquor prostaticus. The 

 fibrous envelope of the prostate gives to it its external firmness, whilst the 



