CUTANEOUS NERVES. 141 



other ; it distributes branches laterally, but those towards the 

 posterior .surface are more numerous, and larger. 



MIDDLE CUTANEOUS (fig. 55, 2 ). The nerve of the centre of the Middle 

 thigh is a cutaneous offset of the anterior crural (p. 160), and Cl 

 divides into two branches. It is transmitted through the fascia 

 lata about three inches from Poupart's ligament, and its branches reaches the 

 are continued to the knee. In the fat this nerve is united with knee - 

 the genito-crural and internal cutaneous nerves. 



INTERNAL CUTANEOUS. This nerve is derived from the anterior internal 

 crural trunk, and is divided into t\vo branches (anterior and posterior) cutaneous : 

 which perforate the fascia at separate places. 



The anterior branch becomes cutaneous in the lower third of the the anterior 

 thigh, in the line of the inner intermuscular septum (fig. 55, 3 ), 

 along which it is continued to the knee. It is distributed in the extends to 

 lower third of the thigh, as well as over the patella and the inner knee >" 

 side of the knee-joint, and is united with the patellar branch of 

 the internal sapheiious nerve (fig. 55, 5 ). 



The posterior branch (fig. 71, s , p. 188) perforates the fascia on the the posterior 

 inner side of the knee, behind the internal saphenous nerve, with JJ^f in the 

 which it communicates ; it furnishes ofYsets to the upper half of 

 the leg, on the inner surface. 



Other small offsets of the nerve supply the inner side of the thigh, other small 

 and appear by the side of the saphenous vein. One or two come jjjjgj to the 

 into view near the top of the vein, and reach as far as the middle 

 of the thigh ; and one, larger than the rest, becomes cutaneous 

 where the others cease, and extends as far as the knee. 



The INTERNAL SAPHENOUS NERVE (fig. 55, 4 ), a branch of the Internal 



anterior crural, is continued to the foot, but only a small part of it sa P henous 

 is now visible. It pierces the fascia close below the knee on the passes to 

 inner side ; and after communicating with the inner branch of the leg ' 

 internal cutaneous, gives forwards some offsets over the head of the 

 tibia. Finally, it accompanies the saphenous vein to the leg and 

 foot. 



Its patellar branch (fig. 55, 5 ) appears on the inner side of the a branch on 

 knee above the preceding, and is soon joined by the internal cuta- P*** 11 * 

 neons nerve. It ends in many branches over the patella ; these 

 communicate with offsets from the middle and internal cutaneous forms a 

 nerves, and form a network (patellar plexus) over the joint. plexus. 



Dissection. Let the fat and the inguinal glands be now clean the 

 removed from the surface of the fascia lata, the cutaneous nerves fascia lata ' 

 being thrown aside to be traced afterwards to their trunks. 



At the upper part of the thigh the cribriform fascia is to be and define 

 removed with great care so as to show the saphenous opening, 

 without injury to the subjacent crural sheath ; and on the other side 

 of the aperture a semilunar border is to be defined by dividing the 

 fibrous bands that unite it to the front of the sheath. 



THE FASCIA LATA is the deep aponeurosis of the thigh. It is of Fascia lata 

 a bluish-white colour, and surrounds the limb with a firm sheath ; 

 but in fat bodies it is sometimes so slight as to be taken away with 

 the subcutaneous fat. 



