OF THE BLADDER AND PROSTATE. 
23 
one-half of the longitudinal, slightly oblique, oblique, and very oblique or circular fibres 
going to the prostate (Plate V. diagram 8 . v, 2', 3 ’, 4), the other to the external or 
outer part of the prostatic portion of the urethra (1, 2, 3, 4). That this is the true 
arrangement may be readily ascertained by making vertical, horizontal, and antero- 
posterior or transverse sections of the parts concerned. In such sections (proceeding 
from without inwards) we find, first, the longitudinal (Plate V. diagram 8. 1 '), slightly 
oblique (2), oblique (3) and very oblique or circular fibres (4) of the prostate; second, 
the longitudinal (1), slightly oblique (2), oblique (3), and very oblique fibres (4) of the 
external or outer half of the urethra; and third, the very oblique (4), oblique (5), 
slightly oblique ( 6 ) and longitudinal or submucous fibres ( 7 ) of the internal or inner 
half of the urethra. The longitudinal, slightly oblique, oblique, and very oblique fibres 
belonging to the outer half of the urethra occupy an intermediate or central position 
with regard to those of the prostate and inner half of the urethra, and form a partition 
or septum similar in many respects to the septum ventriculorum of the heart. It is just 
possible that the septum in either case is formed by a simple reduplication, the folding 
in the bladder occurring at the cervix, and taking the form of an intussusception from 
below upwards *. Mr. Hancock, in his work on Stricture (p. 14), states his belief that 
the outer coat of the bladder passes forwards on the outside .of the prostate gland, and 
laterally and inferiorly joins the fibres derived from the inner coat in front of the gland 
to assist in forming the organic muscular covering of the membranous portion of the 
urethra; but my dissections show that the external fibres of the prostate (Plate IV. 
figs. 30 & 32, w ; Plate V. diagram 7, pi) and the internal or submucous fibres 
of the urethra (Plate IV. figs. 30 & 32, r ; Plate V. diagram 7, a!') are altogether 
independent of each other, and are separated by a wide interval — the interval being 
occupied by the slightly oblique, oblique, and very oblique fibres peculiar to the 
prostate and urethra. The very oblique or circular fibres of the prostate (Plate IV. 
figs. 24 & 27, 0 ) and urethra (m), as will be seen from this account, are likewise 
separated by a considerable interval. The interval is widest at the base of the gland 
(Plate IV. fig. 24, m , 0 ), where the sphincter is most fully developed, and at the apex 
(fig. 27, m, 0 ). Towards the centre of the prostate the circular fibres (Plate IV. 
figs. 25 & 26, 0 ) of the gland curve in an upward direction into the veromontanum 
or caput gallinaginis (r), where they blend with the circular fibres of the urethra (m). 
I draw attention to these facts because, as has been stated, Hodgson^, Ellis J, and 
other investigators are of opinion that the circular fibres of the prostate are identical 
with those of the bladder and urethra, which is contrary to my experience. The cir- 
cular fibres of the prostate are for the most part not only widely removed from those of 
* For an explanation of the manner in which the septum is formed in the heart see paper by the author “ On 
the Arrangement of the Muscular Fibres in the Yentricles of the Yertebrate Heart,” Phil. Trans. Part III. 1 864, 
p. 464. 
f The Prostate Gland and its Enlargement in Old Age. By Decihus Hodgson, M.D. Edin. Lond. 1 856. 
J Op. cit. p. 4. 
