436 



THE FEMALE EEPEODUCTIVE OKGANS 



also found in the fibrous coat; it distributes motor branches to 

 the muscular wall and to the blood vessels, and sensory fibres to 

 the mucosa, in which they end in relation with the cells of the 

 lining epithelium. 



The vaginal mucosa is reflected upon the outer wall of the 

 cervix uteri, and at or near the external os it is continuous with 

 the mucosa of the uterine cavity. Though occasional glands have 

 been found in the vaginal mucous membrane, lined either by mucus 

 secreting or by ciliated cells, these glands would seem to be prop- 

 erly considered as anomalies, since they are usually absent, the 

 mucoid secretions of the vaginal canal being chiefly provided by 

 the abundant supply of mucus from the cervical glands of the 

 uterus. The vaginal mucosa is continuous below with that of 

 the vestibule. 



THE EXTERNAL GENITALS 



The vestibule is supplied with a mucosa which offers a gradual 

 transition from the vagina, on the one hand, to the skin on the 

 other. Its stratified squamous epithelium becomes in this way 



gradually more and 

 more like that of the 

 skin, eleidin granules 

 first, and keratin later 

 appearing on the outer 

 surface of the labia 

 minora. The epithe- 

 lium of the labia ma- 

 jora is identical with 

 that of the skin. 



The labia minora 

 are formed by a fold 

 of the mucosa which 

 is provided with ex- 

 ceptionally tall papil- 

 lae. Small sebaceous 

 glands open directly 

 upon the surface of the 

 stratified squamous 



. 352 TKANSECTION OF A LABIUM MINUS OF AN epithelium. There are 



INFANT - no hair follicles in 



a, labium minus; 6, border of the labium majus ; -i f i r if"h +VIPCP 



c, adipose tissue of the latter. Hematein and eosin. 



Photo, x 12. glands, and the labia 



