506 NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



from the fascia of the thigh, and crosses the sartorius muscle 

 two or three inches below the cutaneus medius. It is distri- 

 buted on the integuments of the vastus internus muscle, and 

 some of its branches extend to the internal edge of the patella. 



The Cutaneus Internus arises from the anterior crural nerve, 

 among the same cluster, above Poupart's Ligament. It divides 

 into four or five branches of different lengths, and is distributed 

 to the integuments of the adctyctor muscles, and along the inner 

 front side of the thigh. One branch observes very much the 

 course of the tendon of the adductor magnus, and reaches as 

 far down as the inner side of the knee. 



The Anterior Crural (Cruralis Anterior) arises from the mid- 

 dle of the lumbar plexus : at first, it is beneath the psoas magnus 

 muscle ; it then gets to its outside, and passes from the abdo- 

 men, under Poupart's Ligament, about half an inch from the 

 outside of the femoral artery. Before it reaches Poupart's Li- 

 gament, it gives off a cluster of nerves, several of which go to 

 the iliacus internus muscle; others form the superficial or cu- 

 taneous nerves of the thigh just mentioned; and others, the 

 deep-seated or muscular branches, which supply the adductor 

 muscles, the four extensors, the pectineus, the sartorius, and 

 the gracilis. 



One of the branches of the anterior crural nerve is seen to 

 accompany the femoral artery, till the artery penetrates the 

 adductor magnus; it then runs along the front margin of the 

 tendon of the adductors in a theca formed by this tendon and 

 the origin of the vastus internus. The nerve alluded to is the 

 Saphenus ; it passes afterwards between the internal condyle 

 of the os femoris and the sartorius muscle, attaches itself to 

 the saphena vein, and is distributed to the integuments of the 

 inner side of the leg, and of the upper internal parts of the 

 foot. 



The Obturator (Nervus Obluratorius) is derived from the mid- 

 dle of the lumbar plexus, also ; and has very much the same 

 position, in regard to the psoas magnus, as the anterior crural 

 nerve. It descends into the pelvis from beneath the psoas 

 magnus, near the sacro-iliac articulation; and passes forwards 

 and downwards to the obturator foramen ; having got through 



