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XIV. Observations on the Human Urethra , showing its internal 
structure , as it appeared in the Microscope of F. Bauer, Esq. 
By Sir Everard Home, Bart. V. P. R. S. 
Read June 1, 1820. 
The smallest additions to our knowledge of Human Ana- 
tomy, have ever met with the most liberal reception from 
the Royal Society. Such communications must necessarily 
be of rare occurrence, the field having not only been gone 
over so often, but cultivated with the utmost labour and zeal, 
by men of the highest talents, and most acute discernment. 
Much, however, is still wanting to make us acquainted with 
the internal structure of all the organs of the human body ; 
and some of those not yet thoroughly examined, are of very 
great importance, not only on account of the functions they 
perform, but the diseases to which they are liable ; since by 
these diseases the natural functions are disturbed, and occa- 
sionally completely interrupted ; and when that happens, the 
life of the patient is too often destroyed. 
The structure of the human urethra, as far as it could be 
examined by ordinary vision, assisted by glasses of small 
magnifying power, has been long known to all the anatomists 
of the present day ; and twenty-five years ago I thought 
myself thoroughly acquainted with it ; but I now find that I 
was wholly ignorant of the more minute parts of its con- 
formation. 
For the knowledge I have now acquired, which it is the 
