250 PRACTICAL ANATOMY. 



common iliac arteries, which diverge and, after running 

 downward for two and one-half inches, give off the 

 internal iliacs, which supply the pelvic contents, and the 

 external iliacs, which are the continuation of the common 

 trunks. The common iliac arteries give off no branches. 



THE INTERNAL ILIAC ARTERIES. 



The internal iliac is about one and one-half inches 

 long and divides into an anterior trunk and a posterior 

 trunk. The anterior trunk sends off seven branches in 

 the male and nine branches in the female : 



In the Male. 



1. Superior Vesical. The hypogastric artery in the 

 foetus carries the venous blood back to the placenta. 

 After birth it is obliterated, that portion running to the 

 bladder only remaining previously, and it supplies the 

 fundus of the bladder. 



2. Middle Vesical. Supplies the neck of the bladder. 



3. Inferior Vesical. Supplies the neck of the blad- 

 der and the vesiculse seminales. 



4. Middle Hcemorrhoidal. Supplies the rectum; 

 anastomoses with the other haemorrhoidal arteries. 



5. Obturator. Passes out of the pelvis by the obtu- 

 rator foramen ; supplies the muscles in its course. It 

 may come off with the deep epigastric. 



6. Internal Pudic. One of the terminal branches of 

 the anterior trunk ; passes out of the pelvis below the 

 pyriformis, crosses the spine of the ischium, and re-enters 

 the pelvis through the lesser sacro-sciatic foramen, It 

 then runs along the rami of the ischium and pubes and 

 finally divides into the dorsal artery of the penis and the 

 artery of the bulb. The internal pudic sends off: 



(a) Inferior hsemorrhoidal, to the lower part of rectum. 



(b) Superficial perineal, to the superficial perineal struc- 



