346 OBTURATOR ARTERY. 



The Artery of tlie. corpus cavernosum pierces the crus penis, and 

 runs forward in the interior of the corpus cavernosum, by the side of 

 the septum pectiniforme. It ramifies in the parenchyma of the venous 

 structure of the corpus cavernosum. 



The Dorsal artery of the penis ascends between the two crura and 

 symphysis pubis to the dorsum penis, and runs forward through the 

 suspensory ligament in the groove of the corpus cavernosum to the 

 glans, distributing branches in its course to the body of the organ and 

 to the integument. 



The Internal pudic artery in the female is smaller than in the male; 

 its branches, with their distribution, are in principle the same. The 

 superficial perineal artery supplies the analogue of the lateral half of 

 the scrotum, viz. the greater labium. The artery of the bulb supplies 

 the meatus urinarius, and the vestibule; the artery of the corpus 

 cavernosum, the cavernous body of the clitoris, and the arteria dor- 

 salis clitoridis, the dorsum of that organ. 



The UTERINE and VAGINAL arteries of the female are derived 

 either from the internal iliac, or from the umbilical, internal pudic, or 

 ischiatic arteries. The former are very tortuous in their course, and 

 ascend between the layers of the broad ligament, to be distributed to 

 the uterus. The latter ramify upon the exterior of the vagina, and 

 supply its mucous membrane. 



Branches of the posterior trunk. 



The Ilio-lumbar artery ascends beneath the external iliac vessels 

 and psoas muscle, to the posterior part of the crest of the ilium, where 

 it divides into two branches, a lumbar branch which supplies the psoas 

 and iliacus muscles, and sends a ramuscule through the fifth intervef- 

 tebral foramen to the spinal cord and its membranes ; and an iliac 

 branch which passes along the crest of the ilium distributing branches 

 to the iliacus and abdominal muscles, and inosculating with the lumbar 

 and gluteal arteries, and with the circumflexa ilii. 



The OBTURATOR ARTERY is exceedingly variable in point of 

 origin ; it generally proceeds from the posterior trunk of the internal 

 iliac artery, and passes forwards a little below the brim of the pelvis 

 to the upper border of the obturator foramen. It there escapes from 

 the pelvis through a tendinous arch formed by the obturator mem- 

 brane, and divides into two branches ; an internal branch which curves 

 inwards around the bony margin of the obturator foramen, between 

 the obturator externus muscle and the ramus of the ischium, and distri- 

 butes branches to the obturator muscles, the pectineus, the adductor 

 muscles, and to the organs of generation, and inosculates with the inter- 

 nal circumflex artery. And an external branch which pursues its course 

 along the outer margin of the obturator foramen to the space between 

 the gemellus inferior and quadratus femoris, where it inosculates with 



