THE LOWER LIMB 



457 



number of minute foramina for the 

 passage of bloodvessels and nerves. 

 The fascia is strongest upon the 

 outer side of the thigh, where it 

 gives insertion superiorly to a large 

 part of the gluteus maximus, and 

 lower down to the tensor fasciae 

 femoris. It is also strong over the 

 popliteal space and prepatellar region, 

 receiving in the former situation 

 accessions of fibres from the ham- 

 string tendons, and, in the latter, 

 similar accessions from the tendons of 

 the muscles which form the quadri- 

 ceps extensor cruris. Upon the inner 

 side of the thigh the fascia is very 

 thin. 



The portion upon the outer side of 

 the thigh, between the fore part of 

 the iliac crest and the anterior part 

 of the external tuberosity of the tibia 

 and outer border of the patella, is 

 spoken of as the ilio-tibial band. At 

 the insertion of the tensor fasciae 

 femoris it gives off a deep lamina 

 which passes upwards on the deep sur- 

 face of the muscle to be attached to the 

 bottom of the groove on the dorsum 

 of the ilium above the acetabulum, 

 where the posterior or reflected head 

 of the rectus femoris takes its origin. 

 This deep lamina is intimately con- 

 nected with the capsular ligament of 

 the hip-joint and the tendon of the 

 gluteus minimus. 



The fascia lata on the front of the 

 thigh divides at a point i^ inches 

 below the inner third of Poupart's 

 ligament into two laminae, iliac and 

 pubic. The iliac lamina passes up- 

 wards to be attached to Poupart's 

 ligament, lying superficial to the outer 

 portion of the anterior wall of the 

 crural sheath. The pubic lamina is 

 on a deeper or more posterior plane 

 than the iliac, and passes upwards 

 upon the flat pectineus muscle to 

 be attached to the pectineal portion 

 of the ilio-pectineal line and anterior 



Anterior 

 Sapbenoas 



Fig. 226. — The Internal 



Saphenous Vein and its 



Tributaries. 



