INTERNAL PUDIC ARTERY. 309 



The Inferiw gluteal branches supply the gluteus maximus muscle. 



The Comes nervi ischiatici is a small but regular branch, which 

 accompanies the great ischiatic nerve to the lower part of the thigh. 



The Muscular branches supply the muscles of the posterior part 

 of the hip and thigh, and inosculate with the internal and external 

 circumflex arteries, with the obturator, and with the superior per- 

 forating artery. 



The INTERNAL PUDIC ARTERY, the other terminal branch of the 

 anterior trunk of the internal iliac, descends in front of the ischiatic 

 artery to the lower border of the great ischiatic foramen. It emerges 

 from the pelvis through the great sacro-ischiatic foramen below the 

 pyriformis muscle, crosses the spine of the ischium, and re-enters 

 the pelvis through the lesser sacro-ischiatic foramen ; it then crosses 

 the internal obturator muscle to the ramus of the ischium, being 

 situated at about an inch from the margin of the tuberosity, and 

 bound down by the obturator fascia ; it next ascends the ramus of 

 the ischium, enters between the two layers of the deep perineal 

 fascia lying along the border of the ramus of the os pubis, and at 

 the symphysis, pierces the anterior layer of the deep perineal fascia, 

 and very much diminished in size reaches the dorsum of the penis 

 along which it runs, supplying that organ under the name of' the 

 dorsalis penis. 



Brandies. The branches of the internal pudic artery within the 

 pelvis are several small ramuscules to the base of the bladder, the 

 vesiculae seminales, and the prostate gland; and the hcemorrhoidal 

 branch which supplies the middle of the rectum/and frequently takes 

 the place of the middle hoemorrhoidal branch of the internal iliac. 



The branches, external to the pelvis, are the 



Inferior haemorrhoidal, 

 Superficialis perinei, 



Transversalis perinei, 

 Arteria bulbosa, 

 Arteria corporis cavernosi, 

 Arteria dorsalis penis. 



The Inferior hcemorrhoidal artery is given off by the internal pudic 

 while behind the tuberosity of the ischium. It is distributed to the 

 anus, and to the muscles, the fascia, and the integument in the anal 

 region of the perineum. 



The Superficial perineal artery is given off near the attachment 

 of the crus penis ; it pierces the connecting layer of the superficial 

 and deep perineal fascia, and runs forwards across the transversus 

 perinei muscle, and along the groove between the accelerator urinse 

 and erector penis to the septum scroti, upon which it ramifies under 

 the name of arteria septi. It distributes branches to the scrotum, 

 and to the perineum in its course forwards. One of the latter, larger 

 than the rest, crosses the perineum, resting on the transversus peri- 

 nei muscle, and is named the transversalis perinei. 



