ANATOMY OF IXGUIXAL ITEEXIA. S35 



may blend with or even take the place of pai-ts of the subjacent muscles, or they 

 may be enormously developed as compared v/ith the other layers, or lastly, the 

 whole layer may be aboii;ed. (See the works of Humphry and Mivart, as quoted 

 at p. ISo.) 



THE SURGICAL ANATOMY OF HESH-IJE. 



Ill counection with the description of the fasciasand muscles forming 

 the walls of the abdomen, it is desirable to introduce a short account 

 of the aiiatomical relations of the various kinds of abdominal hernial 

 These hernial protrusions are chiefly of three kinds, i/if/tti/ial, /(moral, 

 and wnhilkaL The last-named, however, which occurs at the umbilicus, 

 inasmuch as it presents relations by no means intricate, need not be 

 more than mentioned in an anatomical work. An inguinal hernia 

 following the course of the spermatic cord from the cavity of the abdo- 

 men, and a femoral hernia coming through the crural canal at the inner 

 side of the femoral vessels, have important anatomical relations which 

 must be studied with the greatest attention. 



INGUINAL HEENIA. 



The inguinal canal, through wliich the spermatic cord passes from 

 the cavity of the abdomen to the testis, and through which an inguinal 

 hernia also passes, begins at the internal abdominal ring, and ends at 

 the external one. It is oblique in its direction, being parallel with and 

 immediately above the inner half of Poupart's ligament ; and it measures 

 two inches in length. The external ring is innnediately over the ciest 

 of the pubis, and the internal is opposite the middle of Poupart's liga- 

 ment. In front the canal is bounded by the aponeurosis of the external 

 oblique muscle in its whole length, and at the outer end by the fleshy 

 part of the internal oblique also ; behind it, is the fascia transvcrsalis, 



Fig. 232. — The Aponeurosis of the ^^^- -^-'• 



External Oblujue Muscle and 

 THE Fascia Lata. 



1, the internal pillar of the .ib- 

 ilominal ring ; 2, the external pillar 

 of the same (Poupart's ligament) ; 3, 

 transvea'se fibres of the aponeurosis ; 

 4, pubic part of the fascia lata ; .5, the 

 sjiermatic cord ; 6, the long saphenous 

 vein ; 7, oviter part of the fascia 

 lata. 



together with, towards the 

 inner end, the conjoined ten- 

 don of the two deeper abdomi- 

 nal muscles. Above, the canal 

 is bounded by the arching 

 lower borders of the internal 

 oblique and transversalis mus- 

 cles, while below, it is sup- 

 ported by the broad surfoce 

 of Poupart's ligament, which 

 separates it from the sheath 

 of the large blood-vessels de- 

 scending to the thigh, and from the femoral canal at the inner side of 



