236 CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 



where it is continued to the lower extremity under the name of 

 the femoral artery. It looks like the continuation of the primi- 

 tive iliac, and descends at the superior strait of the pelvis along 

 the internal margin of the psoas magnus muscle. In the early 

 part of its course, it is anterior to the external iliac vein; it then, 

 as it approaches Poupart's ligament, gets to its outer margin. 

 It is covered by the perito/ieum in front. Where it passes be- 

 neath Poupart's ligament to the thigh, it is about half way be- 

 tween the anterior superior spinous process of the ilium and the 

 symphysis pubis, having the vein at its pubic margin and the 

 anterior crural nerve, half an inch from its iliac margin. No 

 branches of consequence arise before it reaches the crural arch; 

 it then sends off two, the Epigastric and the Circumflex Iliac 

 Artery. 



The Epigastric Artery (Jlrteria Epigastrica) arises somewhat 

 above the crural arch, at the line where the peritoneum is re- 

 flected from the fascia transversalis upon the iliac fascia. It at 

 first passes horizontally inwards, then rises obliquely upwards 

 and inwards, behind the spermatic chord, at the pubic margin 

 of the internal abdominal ring. Afterwards it reaches the ex- 

 ternal margin of the rectus abdominis muscle, tw r o or three 

 inches above the pubes: ascending along it for a short distance, 

 it then passes to its posterior face, and continues ascending 

 above the umbilicus; where being divided into several branch- 

 es, it terminates by anastomosing with the lower ramifications 

 of the internal mammary artery. 



This artery is almost entirely spent upon the anterior parietes 

 of the abdomen, in ramifications, which anastomose with the 

 last intercostal and with the lumbar arteries. One of its small 

 twigs, called the External Spermatic artery, following the 

 course of the spermatic chord, or of the round ligament, is 

 distributed upon the cremaster, the tunica vaginalis, and the 

 scrotum of the male, and upon the mons veneris of the female. 

 In some cases the epigastric gives off the obturator artery as 

 stated. 



The Circumflex Iliac Artery (Jlrteria Circunrftexa Jhi) is of the 

 same size with the epigastric, and comes from the external iliac, 

 sometimes on a level with it, and on other occasions lower down, 



