SPERMATIC CORD. 347 



through the ejaculatory ducts into the urethra, which is commoi? 

 to the urinary and generative organs. The urethra is provided 

 with accessories, the 'prostate and Cowper's glands, and is sup- 

 ported by an erectile tissue which forms an elongated organ, the 

 penis. 



INGUINAL CANALS. 



These canals afiford communication between the abdominal 

 and scrotal cavities. They have been described (see p. 203). 



SCR0TU2-I — INGUINAL FASCIA. 



This is a sac or bag v/hich contains the testicles, situated 

 between the thighs, and made up externally of a layer of the 

 common integument, continuous with that of the abdomen, flanks, 

 and sheath. The skin covering it is soft and thin, generally 

 black, and clothed with fine downy hairs ; it is marked mesially 

 by a longitudinal raphe, indicating its division into right and left 

 cavitiec. Below the skin is a thin layer of muscular and elastic 

 tissue forming the proper scrotal tunic, the dartos, which sends 

 in a fold between the testes, constituting the septum scroti, 

 and corresponding to the external raphe. The dartos is 

 continuous with the superficial abdominal fascia or elastic 

 tunic. Under the dartos we find the spermatic, or inier- 

 colurnnar fascia, from the external oblique muscle, attached 

 to the margin of the external abdominal ring, and passing 

 down over the cord. Inside this is the cremasteric fascia, 

 an expansion of the cremaster muscle, arising from the iliac 

 fascia, and passing through the inguinal canal, down the cord 

 to surround the testicle ; this fascia forms only an incomplete 

 covering. Still deeper seated we have the ivfwiidihuliform 

 fascia, which is an extension of the fascia transversalis, and is 

 funnel-shaped, commencing at the internal abdominal ring ; it is 

 prolonged as a sheath over the cord and testicle, and is connected 

 with their serous tunic. 



SPERMATIC CORD. 



The testicle is suspended in the scrotum by the. spermatic 

 cord, a structure made up of the vas deferens, or duct of the 

 testis, which runs along its posterior edge, v/ith various blood- 

 vessels, nerves, serous membrane, muscular tissue, and fascia ; 



