THE FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS: THE VAGINA

The vagina is lined with a soft membrane, which under healthy conditions is pink but has a milk-white appearance due to the presence of some shed epithelial cells and leucocytes (white blood corpuscles). The lining normally contains a slight moisture of lactic acid produced by Doeder-lein's bacillus, an organism found in the vagina at all ages. During sexual excitation there is a greater quantity of fluid found in the vagina. This is produced by glands in the cervix. It is alkaline or neutral, and, according to some observations, amounts to from one-fourth to one teaspoonful during stimulation. This secretion evidently has the function of aiding the spermatozoa in reaching their destination, since, as stated above, they are able to survive in an alkaline, neutral, or very weak acid solution, but perish in a strong acid. The exact power of the acids of the vagina to immobilize or destroy sperms within given periods of time is not yet known with certainty.

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Men's Health-Erectile Dysfunction