THE LOWER LIMB 455 



The efferent lymphatics of the superficial femoral or saphenous 

 glands pierce the cribriform fascia, and terminate in a manner 

 similar to those of the inguinal glands. 



Blood- supply. — ^These glands derive their arterial supply from 

 two or three saphenous branches of the superficial femoral artery. 



Deep Group. — ^These are called the deep femoral glands {deep 

 inguinal glands) . They are from three to four in number, and are 

 situated within the femoral sheath. One of them (the gland of 

 Cloquet) lies in the femoral canal at its upper end,, being attached 

 to the inferior surface of the septum femorale. The other glands 

 are situated in the middle compartment of the femoral sheath on 

 the inner side of the femoral vein. The glands receive their afferent 

 Ijinphatic vessels from the following sources: 



1 . The inguinal glands. 



2. The superficial femoral or saphenous glands. 



3. The deep lymphatics of the knee and thigh. 



4. The popliteal glands. 



The efferent lymphatics of the deep femoral glands enter the abdo- 

 minal cavity, where they become the afferent lymphatics of the 

 external iliac glands. 



Blood-supply. — ^The deep femoral glands derive their arterial 

 supply from the superior or superficial external pudic branch of the 

 common femoral artery. 



Internal or Long Saphenous Vein. — ^This vessel arises from the 

 inner end of the venous arch on the dorsum of the foot. It passes 

 in front of the internal malleolus and along the inner side of the leg, 

 where it lies about a finger's breadth from the internal border of 

 the tibia. It then covuses along the inner side of the knee-joint, 

 being situated behind the most prominent part of the internal 

 condyle of the femur, and so it enters the thigh. Thereafter it ascends 

 along the inner side of the thigh superficial to the sartorius, until 

 it reaches the upper third of that division of the limb. Here it 

 turns to the front of the thigh, and in its subsequent course lies 

 at the junction of the inner fourth and outer three-fourths. On 

 reaching a point i| inches below Poupart's ligament it pierces the 

 cribriform fascia and anterior wall of the crural sheath, and 

 terminates in the femoral vein. Throughout its whole course 

 the vein is superficial to the deep fascia. It receives many 

 tributaries from the front and back of the leg and thigh, and it 

 communicates at frequent intervals with the venae comites of the 

 anterior and posterior tibial arteries, these communicating branches 

 being intermuscular. Two tributaries in the upper part of the 

 thigh are specially noteworthy from their size and constancy. One, 

 collecting the blood from the front of the thigh, is called the external 

 femoral cutaneous, or anterior saphenous, vein. The other returns 

 the blood from the inner and back parts of the thigh, and is called 

 the internal femoral cutaneous, or posterior saphenous, vein. These 

 two tributaries terminate in the long saphenous vein near the 



