ANTERIOR TIBIAL ARTERY, AND ITS BRANCHES. 243 



6. The Gastrocnemial Arteries (Arteries Gemellce) are two in 

 number, one for each head of the gastrocnemius. They arise 

 commonly between the superior and the inferior articular arte^ 

 ries, and are about the same size. They penetrate into the 

 muscle, and supply it with blood, terminating their course near 

 the lower part of its bellies. 



Moreover, some small branches, which go to the contiguous 

 muscles, are frequently observed here; also, the nutritious ar- 

 tery of the tibia. But their number and condition are very in- 

 constant. Near the head of the fibula, branches go from the 

 popliteal artery to the upper end of the soleus muscle. 



Generally, on a level with the aperture in the upper part 

 of the interosseous ligament, but sometimes an inch or two 

 higher up, the popliteal artery terminates by dividing into two 

 Jarge trunks, the Anterior and the Posterior TibiaL 



The Anterior Tibial Artery (Art. Tibialis Anterior) passes 

 forwards through the foramen of the interosseous ligament, 

 just below the head of the fibula, and runs down the front of 

 the leg and foot, as far as the base of the metatarsal bone of 

 the great toe. In this course, its relative situation is as fol- 

 lows : 



It rests upon the front of the interosseous ligament of the 

 leg, on a line drawn from the middle anterior part of the head 

 of the fibula to the middle of the ankle joint. Superiorly, it is 

 bounded on the tibial side by the tibialis anticus muscle, and on 

 the other by the extensor longus digitorum: lower down on the 

 leg, the place of the latter is supplied by the extensor pollicis 

 pedis. Somewhat above the ankle joint the artery, leaving the 

 interosseous ligament, rests upon the front of the tibia, and then 

 gets to the top of the foot, between the joint and the annular 

 ligament. Under the ligament it is crossed by the tendon of 

 the extensor pollicis, which gets to its inner side, and afterwards 

 continues so. The anterior tibial nerve adheres to it, in its 

 whoie length. 



The following branches come from the anterior tibial ar- 

 tery : 



1. The Recurrent Tibial (Art. Tibialis Recurrens) ascends 

 through the upper extremity of the tibialis anticus muscle, 



