GENERATION. 



liftween th« groins, is called the mons veiviis. At the lime 

 of puberty, this part becomes more convex, niid is covered 

 with liairs, of whieh the number, length, and colour, vary- 

 in different individuals. Thefe very I'eldom advance aloiig 

 the middle line ot' the abdomen, towards the navel, as in 

 man. Their eminence is formed fmiply by tlie accumula- 

 tion of an adipous cellular fubilance at this particular point, 

 and it confequeiitly varies in lize, according to the cttibon- 

 point of the indi'idual. A longitunal fiffure, or flit-like 

 cavity, extends from the mons veneris, between the thighs, 

 to within an inch of the anus ; this is called the vulva, or 

 pudendum, (which names fometimeo include, in a more large 

 application, the external organs^) or fmus pudoris. This 

 excavation is larger in women who have had children, tlian 

 in virgins. TIk' fpacc left between the pollcrior end of the 

 vulva and the anus, whieh may be about one inch in length, 

 is the perineum, in which the raphe can hardly be traced. 

 The labia, or ala; majores, are two elongated cutaneous 

 eminences, filled with adipous fubttance, defcending from the 

 mons veneris towards the anus, and forming the lateral 

 boundaries of the cavity jull mentioned. They liave been 

 named, from a comparifon with the lips of the mouth ; but 

 the fiflure between them is vertical, inftcad of being tranf- 

 verfe, as in the other inftance. Their length, which is nearly 

 the fame in all irillances, and may be fomcwhere between 

 two and three inches, determines the extent ot the vulva. 

 Their fize and prominence vary according to the general 

 embonpoint of the individual. Thefe folds are thicker 

 above than below ; their external furface, which correfponds 

 to the upper and ii.ner fide of the thighs, is covered with 

 hairs iimilar to thofe of the mons veneris, and pofTeffes feme 

 febaceous giands. The internal iurface, formed by a mucous 

 membrane, is fmooth, foft to the touch, is contiguous to that 

 of the oppoiile fide, ard to the nymplire. In virgins the 

 colour of this furface is red ; it acquires afterwards a pale 

 and rather livid call. The upper edge of tlie labia is adhe- 

 rent, and continues externally with the integuments, on the 

 infide with the covering of tlie nymphs : the inferior margin 

 is unconnefted, convex, rounded, and covered with hairs, and 

 exhibits the continuity of the integuments with the mucous 

 membrane. The anterior, or fuperior extremity, is con- 

 founded with the mons veneris : the pofterior, growing 

 gradually fmaller, ends in a point, and is united with that of 

 the oppofite fide behind the foffa Kavictdaris. From this 

 union a fharp prominent ridge refults, called the commiffure 

 of the labia, or frenulum, and in French la fourchette. 

 The following parts enter into the compofltion of the labia ; 

 J ft, a continuation of the ikin forming their external furface 

 and inferior or convex edge, provided with febaceous glands, 

 inthefecretion of which thediftinguifhing odour of thefe parts 

 refides : adly, a mucous membrane covering their internal 

 furface, continuous on one fide with the integuments, and on 

 the other with the mucous covering belonging to the whole 

 ■vulva : sdly, an adipous tilfue filling the interval between 

 thefe layers, and giving to the parts their various degrees 

 of thicknefs and prominence. The latter texture refembles 

 on the whole that of the mons veneris, with which it is con- 

 tinuous, but it prefents, in addition, fome membranous la- 

 minx defcending from the ifchium and pubes to theloofe edge 

 of the labium. It does not contain ic much fat as the mons 

 veneris, and hence, like the Icrotum of the male, it is a part 

 in which anafarcous depofitions are frequently obferved. 



The labiacover all the other external organs of generation, 

 which, by this means, are conllantly nioillened with a mucous 

 fluid, preventing the eftecls of friftion, and prelcrving the 

 acute fenfibility of the parts. In the ordinary attitudes of 

 the body, thefe organs arc in a ilate of mutual contaft, and 



therefore completely conceal the parts which we are pro- 

 ceeding to defcribe : they are feparate only when the thighs 

 are thrown widely apart ; they receive an extraordinary deve- 

 lopement during parturition, and thereby iiicreafe tlie capa- 

 city of the vulva. When the labia are feparated, the fol- 

 lowing parts may be cbferved in fucceffion from above 

 downwards: l.The elite ris, which appears as a fmall tu- 

 bercle, more or lefs prominent, feparated from the upper 

 commiffure of the labia by a fmall fir.ooth furface : 2. Tlie 

 nymplia-, alae rninores, or petites levres, araing from the in- 

 ferior lateral parts of the clitoris, defcending and diverging 

 as they defcend, and loft on the fides of the opening ofthe 

 vagina: 3. A triangular furface ilightly concave, bounded 

 above by the clitoris, belowr by the meatus urinarius, on 

 the fides by the nymphae, and lomctinies called veftibulum : 

 4. The meatus urinarius, fituateO about one inch below the 

 clitoris : 5. The orifice of the vagina, with the hymen, or 

 caruncula; myrtifoi mes, placed immediately under the meatus : 

 6. The fofla navicularis, a fmall tranfverfe depreflion, fepa- 

 rating the entrance of the vagina from the frenulum : 7. The 

 frenulum, or pollerior commiffure of the labia ; behind • 

 which is the perineum. The clitoris occupies the upper 

 part ofthe vulva, and forms a reddifh flightly elevated tu- 

 bercle, which ordinarily does not exceed the level of the 

 labia. Its figure is obtufely conical, foniething like that of 

 the end of the penis ; this is called the gians clitoridis, and 

 is covered by a loofe fold of the mucous membrane lining 

 the vulva, and named preputlum clitoridis. Befides, the 

 difterence of its fize, the want of a perforation at the 

 extremity, fufficier.tly diftinguifhes it from the penis. A 

 fmall part only ofthe organ appears on external examination; 

 the larger portion, which is concealed, and can be brought 

 into view only by diffeftion, lies over the vagina, and under 

 the arch of the pubes, and bears a great analogy to the 

 penis, as it confiils of two crura or corpora cavcrnofa, with 

 ereftor mufcles. Thefe arife from the inner and even pof- 

 terior furface of the rami of the oiia innominata ; alcend, 

 approaching to each other, and unite into a fmall cylindrical 

 body, terminating in an obtufe extremity, called the glans. 

 Thefe crura are made up of a firm fibrous membr.ine, con- 

 fufed with the pcrioileum, forming a tube filled witli a cellular 

 or fpongy fubflance, into which blood is effuied from the ar- 

 teries, to be again taken up by the veins, as in the penis. . 

 There is a complete feptum between the two crura, io that 

 they are dilHnct throughout. The fpongy fubllance of the 

 crura is more denfe than in the penis, and confcquently admits 

 of lefs difleiition ; hence tlie fize of the organ is not greatly 

 increafed in the erecl ftate. 



Tlie ercSor clltoritHs mufcle is analogous in every refpeft 

 to the ereftor penis of tlie male ; its origin, tern.ination, and 

 probably ufe, arc timilar, but the fize is fmaller in propor- 

 tion to that of the crus. It arifes frcm the inner furface of 

 the ifchium, afcends and pafTes forwards, and is implanted in 

 a tendinous form, in the inferior and pollerior extremity ofthe 

 crus clitoridis. 



The fubilance of the glans is not different from that of. 

 the body ofthe clitoris, as there is no urethra in this organ, 

 and confequently no peculiar corpus cavernofum. It is 

 rounded above and flightly bifid below. The loofe and 

 folded prepuce covers it above and at the fides, but not be- 

 lou", being attached to the two fides ofthe flit, by wliichthe 

 jjart is marked in this fituation. A white, friable, febaceous, 

 and concreting fubllance, fimilar to that formed by the glan- 

 duhe odurifera; of the penis, is depofited under the preputiura 

 clitoridis. 



This fecrction, being liable to acci'mulatc, and becoming ir- 

 ritating in warm countries, as is the cafe with the analogous 



lubltauce 



