526 POPLITEAL NERVE. 



head of the gastrocnemius : it then passes inwards between 

 the peroneus longus muscle and the fibula : and descending 

 between the muscles on the front of the leg, divides into two 

 branches, one of which inclines to the exterior side of the leg, 

 and the other preserves an internal situation. In its course 

 from the great sciatic nerve to the fibula, it sends off some 

 superficial ramifications. 3?he two branches into which it 

 divides, after passing over the fibula, continue downwards. 

 The Internal or Anterior Tibial goes under the head of the 

 extensor longus digitorurn to reach the outer side of the ante- 

 rior tibial artery, and after supplying the muscles on the ante- 

 rior part of the leg, passes under the annular ligament of the 

 ankle, at the external side of this artery ; on the upper part of 

 the foot, it divides into two ramifications, one of which proceeds 

 forwards near the internal edge of the foot and the other near 

 the external ; they divide again, and are distributed to the parts 

 on the upper surface of the foot, one of their ramifications 

 descending with the continuation of the anterior tibial artery 

 to the sole of the foot. 



The External Branch of the fibular nerve called musculo- 

 cutaneous, as it proceeds downwards, supplies ramifications to 

 the contiguous muscles, and passing through the fascia on the 

 outside of the leg, continues between it and the skin towards 

 the foot. In this course it generally divides into two branches, 

 which are spent upon the upper surface of the foot. 



The Great Sciatic Nerve, after the fibular nerve leaves it, 

 continues down the thigh, between the tendons of the flexors, 

 behind the great blood-vessels, and, of course, exterior to them. 



Popliteal. 



In the ham, this great nerve ^takes the name of Popliteal, and 

 proceeds across the articulation of the knee, between the heads 

 of the gastrocnemii, to the posterior side of the tibia : here it 

 passes through the upper portion of the soleus or gastrocnemius 

 internus, and continues between it and the long flexor of the 

 toes, near the Posterior Tibial Artery ; descending with that 

 artery to the hollow of the os calcis. In this situation it has 

 the name of 



