328 INSTANCES OF PECULIAR ARRANGEMENT OF THE VEINS. 



tinues along the inside of the knee and leg to the internal ankle, 

 the anterior part of which it passes over. It then proceeds 

 along the internal part of the upper surface of the foot to the 

 middle, when it curves towards the external edge, and joins 

 the lesser saphena. On the leg and foot, it also sends off many 

 branches, which anastomose with each other, and with those 



of the aforesaid vein. 







The femoral vein, after parting with the saphena, soon 

 sends off the vena profunda, and the circumflexse also, when 

 they do not arise from the profunda. These veins are gen- 

 erally larger than the arteries to which they correspond, and 

 their branches are more numerous ; but they observe the same 

 course. 



The great vein accompanies the artery down the thigh, and 

 through the perforation in the adductor magnus; but it changes 

 its relative position, so that it is placed behind or on the exte- 

 rior side of the artery, at the lower part of the thigh. It is very 

 often behind it in the ham, where, like the artery, it takes the 

 name of popliteal. In the ham it sends off another superficial 

 vein, which seems very analogous to the basilar vein of the 

 arm. This is called 



The Lesser or External Saphena. 



It proceeds from the ham over the external head of the 

 gastrocnemius, and down the outside of the leg, sending off 

 many branches in its course. It passes behind the external 

 ankle, and near the exterior edge of the upper surface of the 

 foot, about the middle of which it inclines towards the great 

 saphena, and forms with it the anastomosis already mentioned. 



The popliteal vein, after passing across the articulation, 

 ramifies like the artery, but sends two veins, which accompany 

 each of the three arteries of the leg. 



In a few instances, some of the larger veins have been found 

 to be arranged in a manner very different from that which is 

 commonly observed. 



