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NOTE ON THE STEUCTURE OF THE OENITAL ORGANS OF A 
TRUE HERMAPHRODITE. 
By H. V. ExNER, M.A. 
(From the Physiology Laboratory, South African College.) 
The true nature of this hermaphrodite, whose tissues I obtained from 
the Anatomy Department of the South African College, was only recognised 
after a thorough and minute examination of its genital organs. These 
belonged to a human being of the Bantu race, whose age at the time of death 
was about twenty years. During life this person passed as a male, was of 
unsound mind, and had the general appearance of a Kaffir girl with fairly 
large breasts and female pelvis. 
A short, penis-like structure was found ; labia majora covered with 
sparse hairs, but no external genital orifice beyond the opening of the 
urethra on tip of the glans penis. Internally a small, isolated vagina closed 
at both ends was found. A uterus, the mere remnant of the fundus and 
having no connection with vagina, had attached on either side a well- 
developed Fallopian tube, broad ligament, and round ligaments. Running 
through the uterus from the attachment of one Fallopian tube to the other 
was a minute lumen. The left ovary was of normal size, while the right 
ovary was double the size of the left due to acute inflammation of that 
gland. 
A histological examination of all these structures revealed the following : 
Penis. — The normal structure of a penis is present, only smaller in size 
and with a small urethra passing along its inferior surface and opening by 
a vertical slit at the tip of the glans penis. A cross-section of this organ 
shows the corpus cavernosum and urethra as in a normal penis. Another 
section taken just below the bladder shows a very close resemblance to 
prostatic tissue. At a lower level a cross-section shows bulbous tissue and 
corpus cavernosum. 
Uterus. — A cross-section of the small atrophied uterus shows a small 
lumen lined with mucous membrane. The openings of the glands in this 
mucous membrane are lined with columnar epithelial tissue. The walls of 
the uterus consist of plain muscle, rich in blood-supply. The lumen of the 
uterus would just about admit an ordinary pin. 
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