326 PRACTICAL ANATOMY. 



5. The anterior crural is the longest branch of the 

 lumbar plexus. It arises from the third lumbar and 

 receives branches from the second and fourth lumbar. It 

 descends in the substance of the psoas near the outer 

 border and emerges a short distance above Poupart's 

 ligament, passes beneath Poupart's ligament external to 

 the femoral artery, and is distributed to the muscles and 

 integument of the anterior part of the thigh. The 

 anterior crural sends off superficial and deep branches. 

 The superficial are the middle cutaneous, distributed to 

 the skin along the anterior part of thigh, and the internal 

 cutaneous, distributed to the skin along the inner part 

 of the thigh. The deep branches are the long saphenous, 

 which accompanies the femoral artery as far as Hunter's 

 canal and is distributed to the integument of the inner 

 part of the knee-joint and inner side of leg. It accom- 

 panies the long saphenous vein as far down as the foot. 

 The other deep branches are the muscular and articular, 

 the latter being distributed to the knee-joint. 



6. The obturator from the fourth lumbar receives a 

 branch from the third. It runs along the inner border 

 of the psoas, passes through the obturator foramen, and 

 is distributed to the integument along the inner part of 

 the thigh near the knee-joint. It sends off a small 

 branch to the hip-joint. 



7. The accessory obturator arises by two filaments 

 from the fourth lumbar. These frequently unite and 

 the nerve is distributed to the skin of the pubes. It is 

 sometimes wanting. 



8. The fifth lumbar nerve is called the lumbo-sacral 

 cord. It receives a filament of communication from the 

 fourth lumbar, and curves down into the pelvis to join 

 the sacral plexus. It is the largest communicating nerve 

 in the entire spinal series. 



