GENERATION. 



Tlie integuments of the penis, having arrived at the bafe 

 of the glans, are continued forwards to its apex, as far as 

 the opening of the prepuce. There they acquire a different 

 organization, are folded back in a contrary diredlion, and 

 terminate by a firm attachment round the bafis of the glans. 

 The two layers, of which the exterior does not differ from 

 tlie /l<in of the penis, except in being thinner, are connected 

 by a ftratum of very loofe cellular uibflance, perfedly free 

 from fat. The laxity of this cellular matter is fo confidcr- 

 able, that, when the prepuce is-witlidrawn as far as poffiblc, 

 the two component layers are uo longer in contai't, but 

 feparated completely. The furfaccs, by which they before 

 adhered, arc now apphed to the corpora caveriiofa, ainl the 

 integuments of the penis are withdrawn towards ti;-. .rabes. 

 The I'repuce feems defigned to prolcfl the glans, and defend 

 it from the effefts of contact, and rubbing againll external 

 objects. Yet it is not effential to the functions of the organ, 

 that it (hould poffefs fncii a covering, as the dellruC\ion of it 

 by circumcifion or difeafe proves. The covering of the 

 glans becomes afterwards thicker and harder, but the pecu- 

 Ear fenfibility, excited in the performance of the generative 

 fnnftions, does not feem to be di'.iiiniihed. 



The arteries of the male ger.-rative organs are chiefly 

 furnifhed by the trunk of the pi:dendal; but ihe proftate 

 and vcficulae feminalcs receive branches alfo from the vefical 

 arteries. The integuments of the external parts have 

 branches from the perineal artery, and from the veffels of the 

 thigh. The veins of the penis unite, for the moft part, into 

 a large trunk at the middle of the upper furface of the 

 organ, which paffes under the fymphyfis pubis, and opens 

 into a large plexus furrounding the proftate and neck of the 

 bladder. Tliefe end partly in the hypogaflric veins, and 

 pa.-tly in the inferior mefenteric. Belides thefe there are 

 fuperticial veins in the prepuce and penis, terminating in the 

 faphena and femoral vein. The lymphatics of tlie penis are 

 divided into fuperficial and deepfeated. The former arife 

 from the prepuce and integuments, and go to th.e fuperficial 

 inguinal gland?. Tlie latter, arifing from the urethra and 

 corpus cavernofum, enter the pelvis in company with the 

 branches of the pudendal artery, and join the liypogaftric 

 plexus. The nerves of the penis are of confiderable fize, 

 and are derived principally from the 2d, 3d, and 4th facral 

 pairs. 



De-udopemer.l of the Male generative Organs . — As the function 

 of generation docs not commence until a confiderable period 

 after birth, the developeinent of its organs in the human 

 fvibjecl follows a law derived from this circuniftane.?. They 

 undergo no remarkable change from birth till the age of 

 puberty, at which time the procefs of nutrition is carried 

 on in them with great activity. But thsy may be obferved 

 at an early period in the foetus, where, without liaving any 

 remarkable predominance over other parts, they are con- 

 fiderably advanced, as if nature, in iketching out the organi- 

 zation, had widied to mark dcx:idedly the diftinguiming 

 fexaal traits. 



In the foetal ftate, we fhall dcfcribe merely the condition 

 «f the tcllis and fpermatic cord, as thefe are the only parts 

 differing effentially at that time from the fta'e in which they 

 are found in the newly born child. The rcil of the genera- 

 tive' apparatus undergoes no remarkable changes, iintii the 

 time of birlh, and we (hall therefore not notice them until 

 that time. 



T here is no part in the body wliich ur.d^rgoes fo re- 

 markable a c'lange in its fituation as the tciticle ; and, 

 if it be inter.-.'.pted m this procefs, a particular difeafe is very 

 commonly c.co ificn.'d. This organ, wliich, at its firft for- 

 mation, lies in the abdominal cavity at the inferior margin 



of the kidney, furrounded by the inteftines, pafTes in the 

 advanced periods of utero-geftation into the fcrotum, and, 

 as the canal through which it defcended is flint up, never 

 regains its original fituation. At the time of birth, or very 

 foon after, man and moft other mammalia have both tefticles 

 in the fcrotum. This remarkable change was firlt noticed 

 and defcribed al>out the ijiiddle of the laft century, when 

 many celebrated anatomills turned their attention to it, in- 

 fomuch that it is difficult to determine with whom the credit 

 of being the lirft drfcriber refts. The peculiar kind of 

 rupture, called hernia congenita, whicii takes place when 

 the defcent of the teftis is not accompliHied in the regular 

 manner, was the circumftance which principally led to the 

 difcoverv, and more minute invefiigation of the fafts. 

 When furgeons began to reafon on the caufes and feats of 

 ruptures, and the llrufture of the hernial fac, they naturally 

 turned their attention towards thefe parts, and foon difco- 

 vered that kind of the complaint in which the parts eccupy 

 the canal formed by the defcent of the tellis, and to which 

 the name of congenital was given, becaufe the ftate of parts 

 favouring its occurrence commonly exiils at the time of 

 birth. The examination of the origin and peculiarities of 

 this affeftion, led to a complete elucidation of the whole 

 affair, in a feries of excellent publications. 



Reneaulme de la Garaune, a French furgeon, who wrote 

 a treatise on ruptures in 1726, has the firft hint on the fub- 

 jeft ; he fpeal:s of the inteftines and omentum efcaping 

 through the fame canal at which the teftis has paffcd out. 

 Among the numerous claims, which the great Swifs pliyfio- 

 login poffeffes, to the gratitude and refpeft of all medical 

 men, is that of having given thi firft clear account of this 

 matter. Indeed, there is hardly any part of the fubjeft 

 which has not been difcuffed and explained in the writings of 

 this great man ; and, as the obfervation of La Garaune is a 

 fingle and indirect hint, we mufl: affign the honour of the 

 difeovery entirely to Haller. (See Commere. litterar. No- 

 rimberg. 1735, p. 197; I737> P- 3- Programma, hernia- 

 rum obfervationes ahquot. Goetting, 1739. Opufcula 

 pathologica, Laufanne, 1755.) S;:on after thefe publica- 

 tions, the fubject was taken up in England by the Huriters. 

 Dr. ^V. H. according to his brother's ftatement, had found 

 both teftes lying in the abdomen in a ftill-born child of feven 

 or eight months, fome years before the publication of 

 Haller's " Opufcula Pathologica," and could not explain the 

 matter to his fatisfaftion. Mr. J. Hunter pubhTlied a very 

 full and accurate account of the original fituation, and of its 

 change in the teftis. (See Medical Commentaries, p. i Lond.. 

 1762, cap.ix. ) About the faiTie time the obfer->'ations of 

 Mr. Pott were made public. The vaft practical opportuni- 

 ties enjoyed by this gentleman enabled him to explain all the 

 pathological circumltances connected with the defcent of the 

 teftis ; his knowledge of the anatomy was probably derived 

 from the fources already pointed out. (See accannt of a 

 peculiar kind of rupture frequently attendant upon new 

 born children, and fometimes met with in adults, London, 

 1765. Treatife on the Hydroccl.-, feet. 3. p. I2-. Chirurgi- 

 cnl obfervations and cafes relative to ruptures, fcft. 2.) 

 Camper, who united 10 fuccefsfully anatomical and furgical 

 purfuits, iiiveftigated this matter with confiderable atten- 

 tion, and gave the refults of his labours to the public in the 

 Hiarlerii Tranfaetions, v. 6. and 7 The works of Neubaur 

 and Lcbftein muft not be omitted in this enumeration ; that 

 of the former is entitled, " De tunicis vag-inalibus teftis et 

 funiculi fpermatici." Gieffx, 1767. The differtation of the 

 latter, " Dl- hernia congenita, i iqua inteftinum in contaCtu 

 teftis eft," Argentorat 1771, contains a v?ry excellent and 

 complete account of the vihole matter, both in an anatomi- 

 cal 



