Baillie, the Ephemerides, and Schurig mention fusion of the
testicles, or synorchidism, somewhat after the manner of the
normal disposition of the batrachians and also the kangaroos, in
the former of which the fusion is abdominal and in the latter
scrotal. Kerckring has a description of an individual in whom the
scrotum was absent.
In those cases in which the testicles are still in the abdominal
cavity the individuals are termed cryptorchids. Johnson has
collected the results of postmortem examinations of 89 supposed
cryptorchids. In eight of this number no testicles were found
postmortem, the number found in the abdomen was uncertain, but in
18 instances both testicles were found in the inguinal canal, and
in eight only one was found in the inguinal canal, the other not
appearing. The number in which the semen was examined
microscopically was 16, and in three spermatozoa were found in
the semen; one case was dubious, spermatozoa being found two
weeks afterward on a boy's shirt. The number having children was
ten. In one case a monorchid generated a cryptorchid child. Some
of the cryptorchids were effeminate, although others were manly
with good evidences of a beard. The morbid, hypochondriac, the
voluptuous, and the imbecile all found a place in Johnson's
statistics; and although there are evidences of the possession of
the generative function, still, we are compelled to say that the
chances are against fecundity of human cryptorchids.
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