THE ANTERIOR FEMORAL REGION. 



507 



of the os pubis, to the ascending ramus and 

 tuberosity of the ischium, and to the lower 

 border of the great sacro-sciatic ligament. 

 From its attachment to the crest of the ilium 

 it passes down over the Gluteus medius muscle 

 to the upper border of the Gluteus maximus, 

 where it splits into two layers, one passing 

 superficial to and the other beneath this muscle. 

 At the lower border of the muscle the two 

 layers unite. Externally, just below the great 

 trochanter. the fascia lata receives the greater 

 part of the tendon of insertion of the Gluteus 

 maximus, and becomes proportionately thick- 

 ened. The portion of the fascia lata arising 

 from the front part of the crest of the ilium, 

 corresponding to the origin of the Tensor 

 vaginae femoris, passes down the outer side 

 of the thigh as two layers, one superficial 

 and the other beneath this muscle ; these at 

 its lower end become blended together into 

 a thick and strong band, having first received 

 the insertion of the muscle. This band is 

 continued dowmvard, under the name of the 

 ttio-tibial band, to be inserted into the external 

 tuberosity of the tibia. Below, the fascia 

 lata is attached to all the prominent points 

 around the knee-joint viz. the condyles of 

 the femur, tuberosities of the tibia, and head 

 of the fibula. On each side of the patella it is 

 strengthened by transverse fibres given off 

 from the lower part of the Vasti muscles, 

 which are attached to and support this bone. 

 Of these the outer is the stronger, and is con- 

 tinuous with the ilio-tibial band. From the 

 inner surface of the fascia lata are given off 

 two strong intermuscular septa, which are 

 attached to the whole length of the linea 

 aspera and its prolongations above and below : 

 the external and stronger one, which extends 

 from the insertion of the Glutens maximus to 

 the outer condyle, separates the Yastus ex- 

 ternus in front from the short head of the 

 Biceps behind, and gives partial origin to these 

 muscles; the inner one, the thinner of the 

 two, separates the Vastus internus from the 

 Adductor and Pectineus muscles. Besides 

 these there are numerous smaller septa, sepa- 

 rating the individual muscles and enclosing 

 each in a distinct sheath. At the upper and 

 inner part of the thigh, a little below Poupart's 

 ligament, a large oval-shaped aperture is 

 observed after the superficial fascia has been 

 cleared off : it transmits the internal saphenous 

 vein and other smaller vessels, and is termed 

 the saphenous opening. In order more correctly 

 to consider the mode of formation of this 

 aperture, the fascia lata in this part of the 



FIG. 326. Muscles of the iliac and anterior 

 femoral regions. 



