134 THE TESTES, BY V. LA VALETTE ST. GEORGE. 



means of loose connective tissue, that exhibits posteriorly a 

 layer of fat,* to the tunica vaginalis communis, and forms in 

 the median line the septum scroti, that divides the scrotum 

 into two halves. It is covered by the skin, which contains 

 large sebaceous and sudoriparous glands, and supports a strongly 

 pigmented epidermis. 



INTERNAL ANATOMY OF THE TESTIS. 



STRUCTURE OF THE TUBULI SEMINIFERI. The septula testis 

 divide the organ into a series of compartments within which 

 the proper gland substance is contained, the lobuli testis. 



These consist chiefly of the tubuli seminiferi, or canaliculi 

 seminales, that are much convoluted, and which, anastomosing 

 with each other towards the surface of the organ, run towards 

 the mediastinum. Near this they pursue a straighter course, 

 and, uniting with each other, penetrate the corpus Highmori, 

 where by their intercommunication they form the rete testis. 

 From the upper part of this from twelve to fourteen canals 

 proceed, that by increasing convolution assume a conical form, 

 and as the coni vasculosi form the head of the epididymis, one 

 after another discharging themselves into the canal of the 

 epididymis. 



This very tortuous tube lies like a clasp at the posterior border 

 of the testis, gives off the csecal vas aberrans, and as it recedes 

 from the testis becomes continuous with the ascending vas 

 deferens, which is at first looped, but subsequently runs in a 

 straight direction. 



As regards the commencement of the tubuli seminiferi, the 

 greater number of authors (J. Miiller, Krause, Berres, Beale, 

 Sappey, Kolliker, v. Luschka) agree in stating that they 

 begin partly by simple closed extremities, and partly by 

 anastomoses. I have myself frequently found rounded and 

 closed processes in the tubuli seminiferi of the child after 

 maceration in acetic acid. 



The average diameter of the tubuli seminiferi is 0'2 of a 

 millimeter, the thickness of their wall varies with the degree 

 of distension present. 



* Henle, Handbuch der Eingeweidelehre, p. 420. 



