INTERNAL FEMORAL REGION. 411 



separates it from the femoral vessels and internal saphenous vein. By its poste- 

 rior surface, with the hip-joint, the Adductor Brevis and Obturator Externus 

 muscles, the obturator vessetaand nerve being interposed. By its outer border, 

 with the Psoas, a cellular interval separating them, upon which lies the femoral 

 artery. By its inner border, with the margin of the Adductor Longus. 



The Adductor Longus, the most superficial of the three Adductors, is a flat 

 triangular muscle, lying on the same plane at the Pectineus, with which it is 

 often blended above. It arises by a flat narrow tendon, from the front of the 

 pubes, at the angle of junction of the crest with the symphysis ; and soon ex- 

 pands into a broad fleshy belly, which, passing downwards, backwards, and out- 

 wards, is inserted, by an aponeurosis, into the midddle third of the linea aspera, 

 between the Vastus Internus and the Adductor Magnus. 



Relations. By its anterior surface, with the fascia lata, and, near its insertion, 

 with the femoral artery and vein. By its posterior surface, with the Adductor 

 Brevis and Adductor Magnus, the anterior branches of the obturator vessels 

 and nerve, and with the profunda artery and vein near its insertion. By its 

 outer border, with the Pectineus. By its inner border, with the Gracilis. 



The Pectineus and Adductor Longus should now be divided near their origin, and turned 

 downwards, when the Adductor Brevis and Obturator Externus will be exposed. 



The Adductor Brevis is situated immediately behind the two preceding muscles. 

 It is somewhat triangular in form, and arises by a narrow origin from the outer 

 surface of the descending ramus of the pubes, between the Gracilis and Obtu- 

 rator Externus. Its fibres, passing backwards, outwards, and downwards, are 

 inserted, by an aponeurosis, into the upper part of the linea aspera, immediately 

 behind the Pectineus and upper part of the Adductor Longus. 



Relations. By its anterior surface, with the Pectineus, Adductor Longus, and 

 anterior branches of the obturator vessels and nerve. By its posterior surface, 

 with the Adductor Magnus, and posterior branches of the obturator vessels and 

 nerve. By its outer border, with the Obturator Externus, and conjoined tendon 

 of the Psoas and Iliacus. By its inner border, with the Gracilis and Adductor 

 Magnus. This muscle is pierced, near its insertion, by the middle perforating 

 branch of the profunda artery. 



The Adductor Brevis should now be cut away near its origin, and turned outwards, when the 

 entire extent of the Adductor Magnus will be exposed. 



The Adductor Magnus is a large triangular muscle, forming a septum between 

 the muscles on the inner, and those on the back of the thigh. It arises from a 

 small part of the descending ramus of the pubes, from the ascending ramus of 

 the ischiurn, and from the outer margin and under surface of the tuberosity of 

 the ischium. Those fibres which arise from the ramus of the pubes are very 

 short, horizontal in direction, and are inserted into the rough line leading from 

 the great trochanter to the linea aspera, internal to the Gluteus Maxim us ; those 

 from the ramus of the ischium are directed downwards and outwards with 

 different degrees of obliquity, to be inserted, by means of a broad aponeurosis, 

 into the whole length of the linea aspera and the upper part of its internal 

 bifurcation below. The internal portion of the muscle, consisting principally 

 of those fibres which arise from the tuberosity of the ischium, forms a thick 

 fleshy mass consisting of coarse bundles which descend almost vertically, and 

 terminates about the lower third of the thigh in a rounded tendon, which is 

 inserted into the tubercle above the inner condyle of the femur, being connected 

 by a fibrous expansion to the line leading upwards from the tubercle to the 

 linea aspera. Between the two portions of the muscle an angular interval is 

 left, tendinous in front, fleshy behind, for the passage of the femoral vessel into 

 the popliteal space. The external portion of the muscle is pierced by four 

 apertures : the three superior, for the three superior perforating arteries ; the 



