302 CIRCUMFLEX ARTERIES. 



External Pudics, 



Which are two or three small arteries that are generally 

 spent upon the scrotum in males, and the Labia Pudendi in 

 females. 



About two inches below Poupart's ligament, the great branch 

 which has been called the muscular artery of the thigh, leaves it. 

 This vessel is commonly denominated 



A.rteria Profunda. 



It arises from the back part of the trunk of the femoral, and 

 passes downwards and backwards, in a way that has been 

 compared to the separation of the internal iliac and the exter- 

 nal. Very soon after its origin, it sends off two branches, 

 which proceed, one on the internal, and the other on the 

 external side of the thigh, and are called the circumflexa 

 interna and externa. It then passes downwards behind the 

 trunk of the femoral, and sometimes very near it, on the adduc- 

 tor muscles, and finally divides into branches, which are called 

 the Perforating. 



The External Circumflex 



Sometimes arises from the femoral, but most commonly is a 

 branch of the profunda, as above stated. It passes under the 

 rectus and tensor vaginae femoris towards the great trochanter, 

 and generally divides into two branches, one of which continues 

 in the transverse direction, and sends branches to the upper and 

 back part of the thigh, and the parts contiguous to the joint ; 

 while the other descends in the course of the rectus femoris 

 muscle, and some of its ramifications extend near to the outside 

 of the knee. 



The Internal Circumflex 



Is often smaller than the other. It generally passes between 

 the psoas, and the pectineus muscles, and continues round the 

 thigh towards the lesser trochanter. Its ramifications are 

 expended on the upper portions of the adductor muscles and the 

 muscular parts contiguous to the lesser trochanler. It also sends 

 branches to the articulation. 



