232 CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 



goes to the heads of the adductor muscles, to the pectineus, to 

 the obturator externus, and to the integuments of the upper in- 

 ternal part of the thigh. Near its origin this branch sends a 

 ramification along the internal margin of the thyroid foramen 

 to anastomose with the posterior branch, so that the foramen 

 is surrounded by an arterial circle. 







The Middle Haemorrhoidal Artery (Art. Hcemorrhoidea Media) 

 varies in its origin, being sometimes from the hypogastric it- 

 self, and, on other occasions, from one of its branches, as the 

 gluteal, ischiatic, &c. It descends on the fore part of the rec- 

 tum, opposite the lower fundus of the bladder in the male, and 

 is distributed by branches to the rectum, to the vesicula? semi- 

 nales, and to the prostate gland. In the female it dispenses 

 branches to the vagina. It is called middle, from its position 

 between the upper and the lower hsemorrhoidal arteries. 



In both sexes, the branches which it sends to other parts be- 

 sides the rectum, frequently arise from other arteries, and in a 

 manner which causes them to have distinct appellations, as 

 vaginal, &c. 



The Vesical Arteries (tfrterise Vesicates) consist in several 

 ramifications, coming from what was the umbilical artery of 

 the foetus, but which, in the adult, with the exception of a short 

 space near its origin, is converted into a ligamentous chord. 

 These branches ramify upon the parietes of the bladder; one 

 of them, more voluminous than any other, and called, by M. 

 Chaussier, vesico-prostatic, gains the lower fundus of the blad- 

 der; sends branches to it, to the prostate, to the vesicula? semi- 

 nales, and to the commencement of the urethra. 



The Uterine Artery (Jlrteria Uterina) arises from the hy- 

 pogastric, or one of its branches, near the vesical, sometimes 

 before, and on other occasions subsequent to them. Being pe- 

 culiar to the female sex, its size varies according to the indi- 

 vidual, being in a state of pregnancy or not: in the latter stages 

 of gestation it is as large as any other branch of the hypo- 



gastric. 



It goes inwards towards the superior part of the vagina, to 

 which it gives some ramifications; it then ascends between the 



