THE LOWER EXTREMITIES. 199 



where it terminates in the dorsalis pedis artery for the 

 back of the foot. By this last the pulse is sometimes 

 taken and its pulsation is a guide in determining how 

 high up to amputate in gangrene of the foot. The 

 posterior tibial extends obliquely down the back of the 

 leg to the heel, where it divides into the internal and 

 external plantar arteries which go to the sole of the foot. 

 Its most important branch is the peroneal. 



Besides the deep veins accompanying the arteries 

 there are the superficial veins, the internal or long saphen- 

 ous on the inner side of the leg and thigh and the external 

 or short spahenous on the middle of the leg posteriorly 

 and emptying into the popliteal vein. Varicosity often 

 occurs in these veins. 



Nerves. The nerves of the muscles about the hip are 

 branches of the lumbar nerve. The anterior crural sup- 

 plies the anterior part of the thigh, the gluteal the 

 muscles of the same name, and the great sciatic the large 

 muscles of the back of the thigh. Below the knee the 

 anterior tibial goes to the tibialis anticus and the in- 

 ternal popliteal to the muscles of the calf, while the 

 peroneus muscles are supplied by the musculo-cutaneous. 



