378 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 



arm, the radial and ulnar arteries and nerves are protected by 

 muscles. At the wrist they also pass into the hand on the flexor 

 surface. 



The large nerve which passes behind the humerus, the radial 

 nerve, is covered by the thick triceps muscle and winds to the front 

 of the bone to pass the elbow-joint on its way to the forearm. 



The femoral vessels and nerves are in the fold or flexure of the 

 groin, and they wind around the femur to reach the flexor surface 

 of the knee. Both anterior and posterior tibial arteries are well 

 protected by muscles the posterior tibial especially which is 

 under the calf muscles and the transverse fascia of the leg. As it 

 passes the ankle-joint it lies under strong ligaments on the medial 

 side of the joint, where it would not be put on the stretch during 

 any natural movement of the foot nor exposed to blows. Again, 

 the large arteries of the hand are in the palm, while those of the 

 foot are in the sole. 



POINTS FOR COMPRESSION or LARGER ARTERIES 



The temporal, on the zygoma. 



The external maxillary, on the lower border of the mandible. 



The subclavian on the first rib, behind the clavicle (downward 

 and backward). 



The axillary, on the humerus, in the lower part of the axilla. 



The brachial, on the humerus, under medial border of the biceps 

 muscle. 



The radial and ulnar, on the bones of same name, in the lower 

 part. 



The femoral, against the ramus of the pubic bone, just below 

 the inguinal ligament. 



Note. The subclavian artery is crossed by the scalenus 

 anticus muscle which divides it into first, second, and third por- 

 tions. The axillary artery is crossed by the pectoralis minor 

 muscle, which divides it into first, second, and third portions. The 

 common carotid artery is crossed by the omo-hyoid muscle; the 

 portion below the muscle is in the muscular triangle of the neck; 

 the portion above is the carotid triangle. 



