ANTERIOR CRURAL. 583 



From the Anterior Division. From the Posterior Division-. 



Middle cutaneous. Muscular. 



Internal cutaneous. Articular. 



Long saphenous. 



The middle cutaneous nerve pierces the fascia lata (occasionally the Sartorius 

 also), about three inches below Poupart's ligament, and divides into two branches, 

 which descend in immediate proximity along the fore part of the thigh, distributing 

 numerous branches to the integument as low as the front of the knee, where it 

 joins a branch of the internal saphenous nerve. Its outer branch communicates, 

 above, with the crural branch of the genito-crural nerve ; and the inner branch 

 with the internal cutaneous nerve below. The Sartorius muscle is supplied by 

 this or the following nerve. 



The internal cutaneous nerve passes obliquely across the upper part of the sheath 

 of the femoral artery, and divides in front of, or at the inner side of, that vessel, into 

 two branches, anterior and internal. 



The anterior branch perforates the fascia lata at the lower third of the thigh, 

 and divides into two branches, one of which supplies the integument as low down 

 as the inner side of the knee ; the other crosses the patella to the outer side of 

 the joint, communicating in its course with the long saphenous nerve. A cuta- 

 neous filament is occasionally given off from this nerve, which accompanies the 

 long saphenous vein ; and it sometimes communicates with the internal branch 

 of the nerve. 



The inner branch descends along the posterior border of the Sartorius muscle 

 to the knee, where it pierces the fascia lata, communicates with the long saphe- 

 nous nerve, and gives off several cutaneous branches. The nerve then passes 

 down the inner side of the leg, to the integument of which it is distributed. This 

 nerve, beneath the fascia lata, joins in a plexiform network, by uniting with 

 branches of the long saphenous and obturator nerves. "When the communicating 

 branch from the latter nerve is large, and continued to the integument of the leg, 

 the inner branch of the internal cutaneous is small, and terminates at the plexus, 

 occasionally giving off' a few cutaneous filaments. 



This nerve, before subdividing, gives off a few filaments, which pierce the 

 fascia lata, to supply the integument of the inner side of the thigh, accompanying 

 the long saphenous vein. One of these filaments passes through the saphenous 

 opening; a second becomes subcutaneous about the middle of the thigh ; and a third 

 pierces the fascia at its lower third. 



The long or internal saphenous nerve is the largest of the cutaneous branches 

 of the anterior crural nerve. It approaches the femoral artery where this vessel 

 passes beneath the Sartorius, and lies on its outer side, beneath the aponeurotic 

 covering, as far as the opening in the lower part of the Adductor magnus. 

 It then quits the artery, and descends vertically along the inner side of the knee, 

 beneath the Sartorius, pierces the deep fascia between the tendons of the Sartorius 

 and Gracilis, and becomes subcutaneous. The nerve then passes along the inner 

 side of the leg, accompanied by the internal saphenous vein, descends behind the 

 internal border of the tibia, and, at the lower third of the leg, divides into two 

 branches ; one continues its course along the margin of the tibia, terminating at 

 the inner ankle, the other passes in front of the ankle, and is distributed to the 

 integument along the inner side of the foot, as far as the great toe. 



Branches. The long saphenous nerve, about the middle of the thigh, gives off' 

 a communicating branch, which joins the plexus formed by the obturator and 

 internal cutaneous nerves. 



At the inner side of the Itnee, it gives off a large branch (n. cutaneus patellae], 

 which pierces the Sartorius and fascia lata, and is distributed to the integument 

 in front of the patella. This nerve communicates, above the knee, with the anterior 

 branch of the internal cutaneous ; below the knee, with other branches of the long 

 saphenous ; and, on the outer side of the joint, with branches of the middle smA 



