On some malformations of the organs of generation / by William Turner.

  • Turner, Wm. (William), Sir, 1832-1916.
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some malformations of the organs of generation / by William Turner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    was dissociated from its excretory duct. It is not so easy to offer an embryological explanation of the mode of production of the malfor- mation in its lower or prostatic portion. The closure of the vas at its prostatic end, the peculiar vesicular-like condition of the lower end of the left ureter, and the prolongation of that tube onwards in the course of the ejaculatory duct, are important features in the specimen. And although it would be quite possible to frame an hypothesis to account for the way in which the closed condition of the one tube and the substitution for it of the other tube in the prostatic part of its course have been brought about, yet I am doubtful if the present state of embryological knowledge-will admit of one that would be altogether satisfactory. In the absence of any history of the man from whom this pre- paration was obtained, it is not possible to say whether he had at any time possessed any sexual desires. So far as regards the con- struction of the left testicle and its excretory duct, it cannot be doubted that there must have been a complete want of any seminal secretion from that organ—the closure of the duct at both ends shutting off the gland completely from the urethra—and the defect is, without question, one of a congenital nature. But even if the canal between the testis and the urethra had been continuous and quite pervious, and the testicle still retained in the cavity of the abdomen, it would not necessarily have followed that the fluid secreted by the gland so situated should have contained spermatozoa; for the cases observed and recently published by Mr Curling,1 seem to me to show that the seminal fluid in cryptorcliismus is not un- frequently destitute of spermatozoa, even when the sexual desire and capacity for intercourse of the man are strongly developed. Of the condition of the right testicle I am unable to say more than that it occupied the right side of the scrotum. Its excretory duct was also closed at the prostatic end, so that on this side too, even if the secreting powers of the testis were perfect, there could have been no passage of seminal fluid into the urethra. But whether this closure of the right vas and its corresponding vesicula was con- genital, or was occasioned by some inflammatory affection of the tube it is now impossible precisely^ determine, though I am in- c met to think, from the manner in which these structures were blended with the left vesicula and left ureter at the base of the pros ate, that on this, as on the other side, a congenital defect in development had occurred. Case 2.— Uterus Unicornis. °i a-, VC1T rare malformation of the uterus was met with m the body of a woman, past the middle period of , w uch was admitted into the dissecting-room early in the piesent session. When the coils of the small intestmes were 1 Medico-Chirurgical Review, April 18G4, p. 408.