4i 8 SURGICAL APPLIED ANATOMY. [Chap. xx. 



" Anatomy"). The hamstring muscles cannot usually 

 be distinguished the one from the other above the 

 popliteal space, nor is their separation from the ad- 

 ductors indicated. The separation, however, between 

 them and the vastus externus is distinct, and corre- 

 sponds to the position of the external inter-muscular 

 septum. The line of the femoral vessels has already 

 been given. The long saphenous vein follows in the 

 thigh the course of the sartorius muscle, and may be 

 represented on the surface by a line drawn from the 

 region of the saphenous opening (page 390) to the 

 posterior border of the sartorius muscle at the level 

 of the inner condyle of the femur. The long saphenous 

 nerve follows the course of the femoral artery, lying 

 first to the outer side of that vessel, and then gradually 

 crossing it. In the lower fourth of the thigh the 

 nerve passes under cover of the sartorius muscle to 

 the inner side of the knee, and is accompanied by the 

 superficial branch of the anastomotic artery. A line 

 drawn down the back of the limb from a point midway 

 between the great trochanter and tuber ischii to the 

 middle of the ham will correspond to the great 

 sciatic nerve and one of its continuations, the internal 

 popliteal. The great trunk usually bifurcates a little 

 below the middle of the thigh. 



The skin of the thigh is coarse on the outer side 

 of the limb, but internally it is thin and tine, and is 

 apt to be readily excoriated by ill-applied bandages or 

 splints. It is but loosely attached to the subjacent 

 parts, a circumstance that greatly favours the 

 performance of circular amputations in this region. 

 At one place, however, it is a little more adherent, 

 viz., along the groove that separates the vastus 

 externus behind from the hamstring muscles, and that 

 corresponds to the outer intermuscular septum. The 

 laxity of the subcutaneous tissue favours extensive 

 extravasations beneath the skin, and permits of large 



