TERMINAL BRANCHES. 



1335 



The Great Sciatic Nerve. 

 The great sciatic nerve (n. ischiadicus) , the largest nerve of the entire human body, 

 is a thick bundle of nerve-fibres' derived from both the anterior and posterior portions of 



Fig. 1115. ^ 



Glutens niaxinuis 

 Great sciatic nerve 



Great sacro-sciatic ligament 

 Small sciatic nerve 



Tuber ischii 

 Great sciatic ner\'e 



Brs. to semitendinosus 



Adductor magnus 

 Biceps, long head 



Semitendinosus 

 Seniiinenibranosus 



Br. to adductor magnus 

 Br. to semimembranosus 



Semimembranosus 



Popliteal arterj- 

 Articular branch 



Popliteal vein 



Communicans tibialis 



Gluteus medius 



Pyrifortnis 



Gemellus superior 



Obturator internus 

 Gemellus inferior 

 Obturator externus 

 Trochanter major 



— Quadratus fenioris 



Gluteus maximus 

 Br. to biceps 



Biceps, short head 

 Int. popliteal nerve 



External popliteal nerve 



Articular branch 

 Azygos articular branch 

 Femur, popliteal surface 



\ Muscular branches 

 Gastrocnemius 



. Communicans fibulans 



Deep dissection of posterior surface of right thigh, showing great sciatic nerve dividing 

 mto external popliteal (peroneal) and internal popliteal (tibial) nerves. 



the sacral plexus (Fig. 1112). Properly it consists of two elements only, the ex- 

 ternal and internal popliteal nerves, the former from the posterior and the latter 



