The Inguinal Region. 183 



tissue that, before the descent of the testicle, covered in 

 this defect in the fascia. This thin fascia is strengthened 

 by accessory fibres, which, slightly curved, bridge the 

 space, passing transversely from one pillar of the ring to 

 the other. Connecting the columns as these fibres do, 

 they receive the name of inter columnar fibres and the thin 

 fascia, plus these intercolumnar fibres, constitute, the inter- 

 columnar fascia, or, external spermatic fascia. The trian- 

 gular cleft between the columns is called the external 

 abdominal ring, but it is not an opening since the inter- 

 columnar fascia covers it in, nor is it a ring since it is tri- 

 angular in shape. On the division of these lower fibres 

 of the aponeurosis of the external oblique and the reflec- 

 tion of the flaps to either side, the spermatic cord is seen, 

 covered by some looped muscular fibres, widely separated 

 from one another, but banded together by a delicate areo- 

 lar tissue. These constitute the cremasteric fascia and 

 are prolonged downwards from the lower border of the 

 internal oblique, hence their origin and insertion corre- 

 spond to those of the lower fibres of this muscle, i.e., they 

 arise from the middle of Poupart's ligament, forming 

 loops directed downwards on the sides and anterior sur- 

 face of the cord, arid then incline upwards to be inserted 

 into the crest of the pubes and the front of the sheath of 

 the rectus muscle. The lower portion of the internal 

 oblique lies in front of the cord externally, arches over 

 and gets behind it, internally, i.e., near the pubes, where it, 

 with the lower fibres of the transversalis, constitute the 

 conjoined tendon which is inserted into the pectineal line 

 and crest of the pubes. At the attachment of this tendon 

 to the pectineal line, a triangular-shaped layer of fibres 

 pass upwards towards the linea alba, in front of the con- 

 joined tendon. This is the triangular ligament. Thus, 

 we have behind the external abdominal ring, the conjoin- 



