_Function of the Bartholinian glands._—Through the activity of the constrictor cunni, the Bartholinian glands are also compressed. Normally these glands are inactive. They only secrete on irritation.[K] At the first voluptuary thrills, the lubricating fluid gushes forth from the Bartholinian glands, moistens the sexual organs, prepares the way for the painless entrance of the male organ and furnishes the ante-orgastic libido which is second only to the orgasm itself, and is the only libido experienced by many women throughout their lives. The alkaline lubricating fluid from the Bartholinian glands serves the further purpose of neutralizing the vaginal contents which are of an acid reaction. But for the alkaline secretions, before the male ejaculation, the spermatozoa would be killed by the acids, or, at least, checked in their movements. The secretion of the Bartholinian glands has, therefore, a threefold purpose: it facilitates the frictions, neutralizes somewhat the vaginal contents, and increases or furnishes the ant-orgastic libido. _Function of the clitoris._—The most sensitive organ of the female genital apparatus is the clitoris. In the female child the clitoris, analogous to the penis in the male, represents the main erogenous zone, and its activity manifests itself by frequent twitchings and erections. After puberty the main function of the clitoris is, according to Freud, to transmit the stimuli to the other genital organs. The erection of the clitoris is produced in the same way as the erection of the penis, by the relaxation of the arteries of the corpora cavernosa of the clitoris, which are thus filled with blood. The erection is further helped by the contraction of the muscles ischio-cavernosus and constrictor cunni. The clitoris has a direction, inverse to that of the erected penis, namely, downward. By virtue of its direction and its angle, the erected clitoris is able to yield and descend to meet the dorsal face of the glans and body of the penis, without being in a position to rise again during its action. The contraction of the two last named muscles will, therefore, help to press the right-angled clitoris on the dorsal side of the penis. The erection and the bending of the clitoris are further helped by the action of the bulbs of the vestibule which, through the pressure of the penis, send their fluid to the corpora cavernosa and the glans of the clitoris and thus increase the sensitiveness.