sheathing tendon of the external oblique
muscle, H, at a point midway between the extremities of the ilio-pubic
line or fold. In some cases, this place, whereat the cord first
manifests itself in the groin, lies nearer the pubic symphysis; but
however much it may vary in this particular, we may safely regard the
femoro-pubic fold, D, b, as containing the cord, and also that the place
where this fold meets the iliopubic line, C B, at the point D, marks the
exit of the cord from the abdomen.

The spermatic cord does not actually pierce the sheathing tendon of the
external oblique muscle at the point D, and there does not, in fact,
exist naturally such an opening as the "external abdominal ring," for
the cord carries with it a production of the tendon of the external
oblique muscle, and this has been named by surgical anatomists the
"intercolumnar fascia," [Footnote] the "spermatic fascia." The fibres of
this spermatic fascia are seen at D F, crossing the cord obliquely, and
encasing it. This covering of the cord lies beneath the spermatic
envelope formed by, a b, the superficial fascia; and when a hernial
protrusion descends through the cord, both these investing membranes
form the two outermost envelopes for the intestine in its new and
abnormal situation.

[Footnote: On referring to the works of Sir Astley Cooper, Hesselbach,
Scarpa, and, others, I find attempts made to establish a distinction
between what is called the "intercolumnar fascia" and the "spermatic
fascia," and just as if these were structures separable from each other
or from the aponeurotic sheath of the external oblique muscle. I find,
in like manner, in these and other works, a tediously-laboured account
of the superficial fascia, as being divisible into two layers of
membrane, and that this has given rise to considerable difference of
opinion as to whether or not we should regard the deeper layer as being
a production of the fascia lata, ascending from the thigh to the
abdomen, or rather of the membrane of the abdomen descending to the
thigh, &c. These and such like considerations I omit to discuss here;
for, with all proper deference to the high authority of the authors
cited, I dare to maintain, that, in a practical point of view, they arc
absolutely of no moment, and in a purely scientific view, they are, so
far as regards the substance of the truth which they would reveal,
wholly beneath the notice of the rational mind. The practitioner who
would