Free The Act of Marriage: The Beauty of Sexual Love by Tim Lahaye Page B

for sperm that have left the epididymis and traveled through the spermatic duct.
    Seminal vesicle —the organ producing the seminal fluid that carries the sperm to the prostate gland.
    Ejaculatory duct —the organ that expels the sperm and seminal fluid through the penis into the female.
    Prostate gland —an important gland, shaped like a large walnut, which contracts and aids in the ejaculation. It produces additional seminal fluid and contains the nerves that control the erection of the penis. It is located between the urinary bladder and the base of the penis surrounding the passage from the bladder. The prostate may become enlarged and block the flow of urine in an older man; this may necessitate a prostatectomy—that is, removal of the prostate—or a simpler operation to enlarge the channel. After either of these operations, the semen in ejaculation enters the bladder and does not leave the body at the time of ejaculation. This does not change the physical sensation of orgasm, but special instructions may need to be followed if the wife wishes to become pregnant. Currently many have resorted to nutritional means to avoid surgery.
    The prostate is the only gland in the human body that tends to enlarge after a man reaches forty-five to fifty years of age. It is estimated that at least 65 percent of men in their sixties and seventies have the problems that emanate from an enlarged prostate: urinary drip, difficulty in urinating, and difficulty maintaining an erection. Because it is so important that men be informed of this potential problem, we have addressed the method of avoiding that enlargement in the final chapter under “prostate.” Every man over forty-five should read it carefully!
    Cowper’s gland —the first gland to function when a man is sexually aroused. It sends a few drops of slippery fluid into the urethra, thus preparing it for the safe passage of sperm by neutralizing the acids of the urine that would otherwise kill the sperm.
    Urethra —the tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis for elimination. It also carries the sperm and semen from the prostate gland through the penis.
    Penis —the male sex organ through which both the urine and the sperm are released. It can be distended with blood under mental or physical stimulus so that it becomes stiff or erect. The penis is made up of three columns of spongy, erectile tissue, the middle one containing the urethra. The length of the nonstimulated penis varies greatly, but the length of the erect penis is almost always six to seven inches. The crown or rim of the glans becomes harder than the tip during erection, helping to arouse excitement in the female during friction. Circumcision also enables this rim to stand out more from the adjacent tissue of the penis.
    Glans penis —the head of the penis; the very sensitive part of the organ that under friction stimulates ejaculation of the sperm and seminal fluid.
    Foreskin —the loose skin that covers the glans penis for protection. A substance called smegma often gathers under the foreskin, producing an offensive odor. For this reason the penis should be washed daily. Circumcision is recommended for hygienic reasons but has little effect on stimulating the glans penis.
    Areas of sexual sensitivity —the male genital organs—comprising the penis, the scrotal sac, and the area around them—that are exceptionally sensitive to touch. When caressed affectionately by the wife, they produce a pleasurable sexual excitement that prepares the husband for intercourse, usually in a very few minutes.
    Nocturnal emission (wet dream)—a natural occurrence that can be an unsettling experience for a boy who is unprepared for it. If he awakens to find his pajamas wet and sticky or hardened to a starchy consistency, he may be needlessly alarmed. What has happened is that pressure has built up because of the increasing rate at which sperm are manufactured. The seminal vesicles and the prostate gland