338 THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM. 
in front of the sheath, is derived solely from the iliac portion of the fascia lata, 
It forms a strong triangular band of fascia attached above to the inner half of 
Poupart’s ligament, and is known as the falciform ligament. It has an important 
share in directing the course of a femoral hernia upwards on to the abdominal 
wall. 
Internally in relation to the adductor muscles of the thigh the fascia lata 
becomes much thinner. Ad the knee it is associated with the tendons of the vasti 
muscles, and forms the lateral ligaments of the patella, attached to the borders of 
the patella and to the tuberosities of the tibia. xternally it gives rise to the 
OBLIQUUS EXTERNUS MUSCLE 
Aponeurosis of obliquus externus Eleventh thoracie nerve 
HH} 
i 
Intercolumnar fibres 
Twelfth thoracic nerve 
Poupart’s a “ a. 4 
d - ee | | #0 _ Ilio-hypogastric nerve 
Iliac portion of fascia lata—/# . : a YPos 
External\ecee wees : = 
Tnternal pillars of external abdominal ring 
External cutaneous nerve —; I ; 3 
| External abdominal ring and spermatic cord 
Suspensory ligament of penis 
llio-inguinal nerve 
Faleiform ligament — 
Crural sheath jr 
Femoral vein—4j 
Femoral artery—\q 
Genito-crnral nerve—\j 
Inferior cornu of saphenous \ 
Pe 
opening |i) 
Femoral lymphatic gland— jij 
Body of penis 
———— Dartos muscle of scrotum 
\\] 
i 
* \\ 
Internal saphenous vein—— 
f 
4 
/ 
Middle cutaneous nerve 
Middle cutaneous nerve Pubie portion of fascia lata 
Fic. 249.—THrE GROIN—THE SrRUCTURES SEEN ON REMOVAL OF THE SUPERFICIAL Fascia. 
ilio-tibial band—a broad thick layer of fascia which is attached above to the iliac 
crest, and receives the insertions of two muscles in the upper part of the thigh— 
the tensor fascize femoris, and part of the gluteus maximus; it is attached below 
to the capsule of the knee-joint and the outer tuberosity of the tibia. The fascia 
beneath the tensor fascize femoris muscle, continued upwards from the ilio-tibial 
band, sends a strong band inwards which joins the origin of the rectus femoris and 
the capsule of the hip-joint. 
On either side of the thigh above the knee an intermuscular septum is 
formed ; the external intermuscular septum extends inwards from the ilio-tibial band 
to the external supra-condyloid ridge of the femur, and gives attachment to the 
vastus externus and crureus in front, and the short head of the biceps behind. The 
internal intermuscular septum is more complex. It is represented by a layer of fascia 
which forms separate envelopes for the gracilis and sartorius muscles, and in the 
upper and middle thirds of the thigh encloses the adductor muscles. In the lower 
third of the thigh it is for the most part replaced by the tendon of the adductor 
magnus ; in the middle third of the thigh the fascia is specially thickened by 
transverse fibres connecting together the adductor muscles and the vastus internus. 
This sheet of fascia forms a special aponeurosis beneath the sartorius, which roofs 
over the femoral artery in Hunter’s canal. 
The fascia lata of the buttock is thick anteriorly in relation to the gluteus 
medius, thinner posteriorly over the gluteus maximus, at the upper border of which 
it splits to enclose and assist in forming the insertion of the muscle. 
On the back of the thigh and over the popliteal space the fascia is strengthened 
by transverse fibres derived from the hamstring muscles. The popliteal fascia 
