G E N E R A T I O N. 



united by a clofe cellular fubllance. Tlie fides cf tlie body 

 rrc rounded and covered by the fl;in, its anterior extremity 

 forms a blunt point, received into a concavity, at the bafe of 

 the glans. The two parts arc united by a very denfe cellu- 

 lar liibftance, r.nd fomc blood-vefTcls pafs between them, 

 but there is no other kind cf communication ; and air or in- 

 jc^'^ion, thrown into the ci-lliilar fubftr.ncc of the coi-pus cp- 

 vcrnofuin, do not f:nd their way into the glans. The latter, 

 therefore, is not an e>;panfion or continuation of the former, 

 as fome old anatomitls fuppofed. The pofterior extremity 

 is bifurcated, and its two prolongations form the two crura 

 penis already mentioned. Thefe begin in a pointed form a 

 little above the tuberofities ef tlie ifchia, from the inner 

 fiirface of the bone, to which they are attached as far as the 

 fymphyfis. Below and within' they are covered by the 

 creifiores and accelerator mufcles, above and without they 

 adhere ilrongly to the bone. They leave between them a 

 triangular fpace, iilled by fat, and by the urethra, which oc- 

 cupies its middle. Three parts arc to be confidered in the 

 corpus cavernofum, viz. an external membrane, a pecuHar 

 fpongy fubftance, and a longitudinal feptum, occupying its 

 middle. The outer membrane is of a fibrous nature, very 

 thick and firm, whitifli in its colour, and bedowing on the 

 body its peculiar figure. Its external lurface is covered 

 with a denfe cellular tilTue: on the infide it adheres clofely 

 to tlie fpongy fubftance. Thinner on the crura, in the 

 groove lodging the urethra, and at the anterior extremity, it 

 prefents in thefe fituations a livid tint, produced by the con- 

 tained blood, while it is thicker every whe:-e elfe, whitiili, 

 and opake. In the former fituations there are fome per- 

 forations for the admifiion of blood-vefiels. It is continuous 

 and Ilrongly interv.-oven with the perioftcum of the os in- 

 jiominatum, at the origin of the crura. It partakes entirely 

 of the charafters belonging to fibrous oi-gans ; and is made 

 up of fibres varioufly interlaced, and forming feveral ftrata. 

 It is found to be very hard and refilling, when expofed to 

 the aftion of a cutting inftrument. It experiences a paiTive 

 dilatation from the influx of blood in erection, and returns to 

 its former ftate, \\hcn this extenfion goes off. It does not 

 fecm to podefs any vital properties. 



The f])ongy matter of the corpus cavernofum is a cel- 

 lular fubftance, com])ofed of very fine and numerous plates 

 and fibres detached from the internal furface of the fibrous 

 membrane, and decuflating each other in every direftion. 

 Its cells are ail communicated together, and are mofe or lefs 

 filled with blood, whichcan be removed by forcible fqueezing, 

 or repeated wafhings. Various fibrous threads crofs the cel- 

 lular fubftance in diiferent fituations, and are attached to the 

 furfsce of the fibrous- membrane. They are faid to prevent 

 rxceiiive diftention of the corpora cavernofa. An artery 

 and a vein pafs through the centre of the cellular fubftance 

 on each lide, from behind forwards. Their minute ramifi- 

 cations muft, undoubtedly, communicate with the cells of 

 the organ, fince injeftion will pafs from the arteries into 

 thefe cells ; and injefted flviids or air, after filling the corpus 

 cavernofum, gain admifiion into tlie veins. The blood 

 contained in the corpus cavernofum has always a dark 

 livid appearance in the dead body ; but it is red during life, 

 as may be feen in amputation of the penis, or in living ani- 

 mals. Its quantity vaiies very confidcrably, according to the 

 condition of the penis ; when it is ir.creafed, the whole cor- 

 pus cavernofum is diilended; from the beny origin to the 

 glans, it is elongated and hardened, and eredlicn is produced. 



The feptum of the penis divides it]ongitudin;;liy into two 



portions, v.hich moft anatomifts confider as diftindl tubes, 



under the name of corpora cavernofa. In order to fee it 



well, the fibrous membrane fhould be cut through on each 



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fide of '.he penis, and all the fpongy fubftance removed ; thd 

 feptum will then be found continuous, by its two edges, with 

 the fibrous membrane, and compofcd of ilrong whitifti 

 fibres, not forming an entire plane, but leaving intervals be- 

 tween them, at which the two fides of the corpus cavernofam 

 communicate freely. From this ttrufture the name of feptum 

 peftiniformo" has been derived. The intervals between the 

 fibres are larger towards the inferior than the fuperior edge 

 of the feptum. At the part vvhere the two crura meet to- 

 gether, the feptum is complete, it degenerates into feparate 

 fafciculi towards the oppofite enl of the organ, and tlie in- 

 tervals between tl;efe are more confiderable, as we approach 

 nearer to the front extremity. 



The dimenficnsof the penis are determined in great mea- 

 fure by the corpus cavernofum ; and to this body the organ 

 owes that finnnefs in the eredled ftate, which enables it to 

 fulfil its ofiice in the bufinefs of generation. 



Each of the crura penis gives attachment at its origin to 

 a tolerably ftrong niufcle, nan-.ed the ei-e^or penis, probably, 

 becaufe when a power, capable of producing the efFeft in- 

 dicated by that nam.e, was fought for by anatomifts, this 

 niufcle feemed to be their only refource. At prefent the 

 name appears very ill adapted, fince the mufcles in quef- 

 tion obvioudy draw the penis downwards asd backwards, in- 

 ftead of upwards and againft the pubes. Tisofe who ex- 

 plain the ere£lion of the penif, by the compreffion of its vein, 

 fliould find out a power capable of elevating . the organ 

 againft the bone, and of c?a-rying it forwards. It has a ten- 

 dinous origin, below the attachment of the cms penis, from 

 the inner furface of the tuberofity, and ramus of the ifchium. 

 It pa'fes forwards, upv/ards, anda little inwards, and is firmly 

 implanted in the fibrous membrane of the crus penis. It 

 will draw the corpus cavernofum downwards, fo as to bring 

 it more nearly into a direilion, fuitable to the cavity of the 

 vagina : it has a flight power of fliortening the crus penis, 

 and thereby exprefiing the blood into the anterior part of 

 the organ, fo as to increafe its turgefcence. Its origin and 

 courfe render it completely incapable of compreffing the 

 large vein of the penis. 



The t:r£thra, which, in the female, belongs only to the uri- 

 nary paifages, conftitutes moreover in man an efiential part 

 of the generative apparatus. Its length is very confiderable, 

 and its organization very complicated, in confequence of the 

 latter office. It has conneftions with almoft all the parts 

 belonging to this apparatus ; the ejaculatory and proftatic 

 dufts ojien into it ; it is clofe'y connedled to the corpus ca- 

 ver-iofum, and terminated by the glans. In the male fub- 

 jeiil it forms a canal extended from the neck of the bladder 

 to the end of the penis, and giving paffage to the urine and 

 feinen. Its length, which varies in different individuals, and 

 in fubjecls of different ages, is about nine or ten inches in the 

 adult. At its origin it penetrates the proilate, paffing for- 

 wards and downwards : it goes under the fyrnphyfis pubis, 

 and then afcends in front of that p?.rt, between- the two 

 crura penis, in order to reach tlie inferior furface of the 

 ccrpiis cavernofum, and becom.e attached to the channel 

 which we have already dcfcribed. Being thus united to the 

 corpus cavernofum, it runs along the whole length of that 

 body, and follows its direction. Lattly, it traverfes the 

 gkras penis, and opens at its extremity, by a vertical flit 

 with fiightly rounded edges of a bright red colour. Hence 

 the canal forms in its courfe curvatures rcfembling thofe of 

 the letter S ; but this is only when the penis is relaxed ; for, 

 in the erefted itate, the curvature in front of the pubes, of 

 which the concavity is turned dov/nwards, is entirely effaced, 

 and that only remains, which is below the pubes, and of 

 which the concavity faces upwards. 



The 



