STRUCTURE OF THE NYMPH^E AND CLITORIS. 319 



many instances contain pigment granules around the spheroidal 

 nucleus. 



The subjacent mucous membrane presents on its surface 

 conical closely set vascular papillae, somewhat dilated at their 

 extremities. The membrane itself is destitute of fat, and 

 contains also smooth muscular fibres in the connective-tissue 

 trabeculae. The framework of the mucous membrane exhibits 

 the same arrangement as that of the labia majora. A strong 

 trabecular framework, arranged in the form of a meshwork, 

 radiates towards the periphery. Sebaceous glands without 

 hairs are distributed over the nymphae up to their internal 

 surface, but they are of a smaller size 0'2 of a millimeter 

 than those of the labia majora, and are not discoverable in the 

 newly born child. 



The vessels are branches of the arteria labialis posterior, 

 and form simple but tortuous loops in the papillae. The capil- 

 laries form plexuses upon the surface and in the substance of 

 the nymphae, from which other plexuses of the smaller veins 

 arise, the latter of which appear to be everywhere traversed 

 by the capillary plexuses (Gussenbauer). The nymphae there- 

 fore, like the glans clitoridis, possess an erectile cavernous tissue 

 (Gussenbauer). 



II. CLITORIS AND VESTIBULUM. The mucous membrane 

 which, through the praeputium and frenulum clitoridis, is di- 

 rectly continuous with the nymphse and the mucous membrane 

 of the vestibule, is constructed, in regard to its epithelium, mu- 

 cous tissue, papillae, and nerves, on exactly the same type as the 

 nymphae. 



On the clitoris the mucous membrane invests the corpora 

 cavernosa and glans clitoridis, which is continuous with the 

 two bulbi vestibuli ; the latter correspond to the split corpus 

 cavernosum urethras of Man. 



The corpora cavernosa clitoridis, like the bulbi vestibuli, are 

 enclosed by a fibrous sheath, and are composed of a venous 

 plexus everywhere traversed by numerous smooth muscular 

 fibres. In other respects they resemble the corresponding parts 

 of the male, and here also stand in direct continuity with the 

 vascular loops of the papillae. Gussenbauer, in his exhaustive 



