See Processus.

Labia, and labium, quo apprehendimus cibum). A lip. The lips, of which the red part is called prolabium; the sphincter, orbicularis labi-orum, are sufficiently known. When the cuticle here called epithelium is taken off, the appearance of the parts beneath is villous.

Labium leporinum. The hare-lip; rostrum; la-bellum, and labrum leporinum; lagostoma; lagocheilos, consists in a division in the upper lip, from a loss of substance, like that of a hare. The division sometimes resembles the letter M, and is then called the double hare-li/i. A.similar fissure in the under lip is called the spu-rious hare-lip; but this seems never to have occurred.

An operation is required, in which we must first divide all its adhesions internally with a scalpel, and with a straight pair of scissors, or rather with a sharp scalpel, as the scissors bruise the parts, cut off the callous edges, so as to make an angle at its upper part. The operator must then pierce the upper end of the divided part with a silver pin, armed with a steel point, at about one third of an inch from the edge of the wound; bring the point nearly to the bottom of the sore, and raise it again through the surface at the distance of nearly one third of an inch. A thread must be next passed across each end of the pin, to draw the lips of the wound together, and like a figure of eight. Another pin is passed through the middle of the lip in the same way, and a third near the other extremity of the fissure. The wound is secured by thread in the same manner, round each pin, and the steel points, which usually fasten by screws, are taken off. A pledget of digestive over the whole will keep the thread soft.

Mr. Pott observes, that when the hare-lip is double, it sometimes happens that the middle portion contracts, and the bone projects. In this case, the projecting Bone must be removed by means of a chisel; the contracted part of the lip then brought down and detained by a bandage. The operation is afterwards performed as in the single hare-lip, suffering each side to be thoroughly healed before the subsequent operation is attempted. The pins should not. be moved before the sixth or seventh day, and then the stitches must be first cut, to see that the flesh is securely joined before the pins are moved. When a part of the bone is cut away, the wound must be healed previous to the operation on the lip. See Le Dran's Operations; Heister's Surgery; Sharp's Operations; Bell's Surgery, vol. iv. p. 149; White's Surgery, p. 269.

Labia pudendi, cremnoi, labra, arise from the mons veneris, and extend from the fore part of the pubes, whose symphysis is exactly between them, to within a short distance from the anus. They are more prominent, and thick above than below, composed of skin, cellular membrane, and fat, red within, and outwardly, about the the age of puberty, covered with hair. The angles of the labia, above and below, are called commissurae.