The generative organs : considered anatomically, physically, and philosophically / a posthumous work of Emanuel Swedenborg ... translated from the Latin by James John Garth Wilkinson.

  • Swedenborg, Emanuel, 1688-1772.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The generative organs : considered anatomically, physically, and philosophically / a posthumous work of Emanuel Swedenborg ... translated from the Latin by James John Garth Wilkinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    perfection in form, determination, and every quality and effect. It is then the more necessary that all things should be done in this place with the utmost distinctness, inasmuch as upon this depends an effect so necessary as the generation of the species. And this effect requires the suitable disposition of all the parts, which here is only obtained by a subtle and imperceptible vibration of all, and the opening, constriction, and extension consequent thereon. But of these subjects we shall treat presently with greater clearness when we come to speak of the corpora cavernosa. 75. Humor and mucus in large quantities flow into this semi- nal and urinatory canal, not only from the prostate gland, but also from several other glands of considerable magnitude between the two membranes or cavernous substance of the urethra; and this humor and mucus unite especially with the seed as it escapes. For vast numbers of excretory ducts and lacuna are visible, and innumerable lesser orifices, which are scarcely to be seen by the microscope unless the urethra be stretched. Cowper found three glands of the size of cherry stones, and each with an excretory duct; and Morgagni confirms his account (Advers. Anat., IV., anim. ?), although others have looked in vain for these glands: Littre moreover found another gland almost environing the cir- cumference of the urethra. Terraneus and Morgagni describe innumerable and nearly imperceptible orifices through which a continual moisture transudes: lacunae too are seen of divers forms, elongated, oval, rounded. For where there are not glands present grouped into a visible mass, still every artery, when it has filled its vein with blood, and the blood cannot get out through any other artery, remains in a state resembling inflammation and obstruction: and in this state, agreeably to the universal custom in the other members and muscles, a copious mucous serum is ex- creted ; which is determined through the minutest ducts: either into a larger common duct, or immediately into the grand duct of the urethra. Thus if there be indeed no glands, there are never- theless as many corresponding springs of mucous serum as there are extreme serous ducts proceeding from the arteries. These numerous orifices or oscula can originate only from the little arteries and their minute spires and whirls in the fine cavernous substance; for the same thing occurs here as in obstructed and inflamed members and muscles. The fact that an obstruction