The science and art of midwifery / by William Thompson Lusk.

  • William Thompson Lusk
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The science and art of midwifery / by William Thompson Lusk. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    opening of the pelvis, and has a wedge-shape, whence the term cun- nus, i. e., cuneus. Its base is formed by the mons Veneris, a fatty cushion, abundantly su.pplied with hair, which covers the symphysis pubis. As it follows the curvature of the lower portion of the trunk, in extreme inclination of the pelvis it is sometimes directed so far backward as to render difficult the introduction of the speculum and the accomjilishment of the sexual act. It is divided in the median line by the rima pudendi, which extends from the mons Veneris to the perinseum. Upon each side of the rima there are two longitudi- nal, slightly curved, and rounded folds of integument, which rest upon cushions of adipose areolar tissue. These folds constitute the so-called labia major a, which, like the mons Veneris, are covered, though to a less extent, with hair. In healthy young women they are firm and full, while in deteriorated constitutions, and in advanced life, they become wrinkled and pendu- lous, from diminution of the adi- pose tissue. The labia majora act as a sort of valve, which closes the orifice of the vagina, whence the term vulva —i. e., valva, the folding-door of the ancients. When the labia are full and well rounded, they are approximated closely together, and form the vulva connivens. With the loss of adipose tissue, a gaping of the flaccid labia ensues, and forms the vulva Mans. The labia offer an external and internal surface. The outer sur- face presents the usual character- istics of tegumentary tissue, and is abundantly supplied with large sebaceous glands. The inner surface is in all respects like a mucous membrane, except that it possesses sebaceous glands in place of mucous follicles. The subcutaneous tis- sue is composed of connective tissue, rich in elastic elements, and con- taining fatty lobules continuous with the underlying adipose struct- ure It furnishes support to an abundant venous plexus, to which the Fia. 1.—The external parts of generation (in the virgin). 1, labium ma-ius ; 2, four- diette; 3, the nympha; 4, glans clitori- dis; 5,meatusurethrse; 6,vestibule; T, orifice of vagina ; 8, hymen ; 9, orifice of the glands of Duverney ; 10, anal or- ifice. (Sappey.)
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