THE FEMALE PELVIS 397 



the front of the pubes, and extend backwards, meeting to form the posterior 

 commissure just anterior to the anus. Their inner surfaces are covered by 

 slightly modified skin, which is kept moist by the secretion of numerous 

 sebaceous glands. 



The labia minora are two folds of skin which lie within the urogenital 

 fissure, one on each side of the vaginal orifice. Anteriorly each splits into 

 upper and lower parts. The upper parts of the two sides unite above the 

 clitoris and form the prceputium ditoridis. The lower parts are attached to 

 the under surface of the clitoris and constitute thefrenulum. 



The clitoris is homologous with the glans penis and possesses a similar 

 structure, but it is very much smaller in size and is not traversed by the urethra. 

 Dorsally it consists of two corpora cavernosa, which are covered distally 

 by the glans. In place of the corpus cavernosum urethrae of the male, the 

 ventral aspect of the body of the clitoris is occupied by a venous plexus, 

 termed the pars intermedia, which is continuous in front with the erectile 

 tissue of the glans. 



The root of the clitoris consists of two crura and the bulb of the vestibule, 

 and it lies in the superficial perineal pouch (p. 376). The crura, as in the male, 

 are attached to the borders of the pubic arch and are covered by the ischio- 

 cavernosi muscles. The bulb of the vestibule consists of two elongated bodies, 

 composed of erectile tissue, which lie one on each side of the entrance to the 

 vagina. In front they are continuous with one another and with the pars 

 intermedia. During the stretching of the vaginal walls in parturition or from 

 trauma these venous plexuses may be injured and give rise to a haematoma. 

 The bulb is covered by the bulbo-cavernosus (sphincter vaginae) muscle. 



Between the glans clitoridis and the orifice of the vagina there is a smooth 

 triangular area, which is pierced by the external opening of the urethra. 

 This area is termed the vestibule. 



The vaginal orifice in the virgin is partly obscured by the hymen, which 

 consists of two folds of mucous membrane of varying shape and size. Some- 

 times the hymen is imperforate, and, with the onset of puberty, the condition 

 gives rise to trouble by obstructing the menstrual flow. 



The glandulce vestibulares majores (of Bartholin) correspond to the bulbo- 

 urethral glands in the male (p. 384). They lie on the lateral vaginal wall, 

 under cover of the bulbo-cavernosus muscle, and their ducts open in the 

 interval between the hymen and the labia minora. These glands may 

 become infected in gonorrhoea and give rise to abscess formation. 



The Female Urethra is only i inches long, and throughout 

 its whole extent it is closely related to the anterior wall of the 

 vagina. As in the male, the urethra pierces the urogenital 

 diaphragm,, but its course in the superficial perineal pouch is 

 extremely short, as it almost at once opens on the surface of the 

 vestibule. It follows a slightly curved course, the concavity 

 of the curve being directed forwards, and it can readily be 

 dilated so as to permit of direct examination of the interior of 

 the bladder. The ureteral orifices can be inspected and direct 

 catheterisation can be carried out. 



The vessels and nerves of the urogenital triangle in the male 

 have been described on p. 377, and require no further mention. 



