VEINS OF THE HIND EXTREMITY. 147 



vein dilates, becomes varicose or more properly speaking, 

 forms a sinus {Fig 17 ./) ; capable of containing a large 

 quantity of blood. 



VEINS OF THE HIND EXTREMITY. 



The blood from the hind foot is returned by the plantar 

 veins ; which at the fetlock become the metatarsals. The in- 

 ternal metatarsal upon approaching the joint gets in front of 

 the hock ; though afterwards it curves upward and takes a 

 course above the tibia, under the name of the vena saphena 

 minor. This last vessel joins the femoral above the stifle 

 joint. In front of the hock numerous venous twigs origi- 

 nate ; which, increased by branches sent by the external 

 and internal metatarsal veins, become the anterior tibial 

 upon the outside of the leg ; which curves upward to the 

 top of the fibula; when, after passing under the head of 

 that bone, it becomes the femoral. 



The internal metatarsal sends a branch to the front of 

 the hock ; the main trunk, under the name of the vena 

 saphena major, proceeds over the inner side of the calcis ; 

 to be continued upon the upper side of the tibia, near to 

 the bone ; when, having passed at the back of the stifle, it 

 proceeds directly to the flank ; after which it curves back- 

 wards, being increased by several fine twigs, and empties 

 itself into the femoral. The vena saphena major, on its 

 approach to the gastrocnemius muscle, gives off a trunk 

 termed the posterior tibial ; which pours its contents into 

 the femoral, just above the stifle ; shortly after this the 

 femoral obtains another branch, the vena saphena minor ; 

 which, however, a little way prior to its junction sends off 

 a trunk, that ascends through the muscles of the thigh 

 to pass through the obturator foramen, and join the femoral 

 within the pelvis, under the name of the obturator vein. 

 The femoral terminates in the external iliac ; which, after 

 receiving the abdominal veins, runs close to the spine into 

 the common iliac ; a very short but thick trunk. 



The pudic veins ultimately end in one trunk, which 

 empties into the ischiatic ; and this last vessel pours its blood 

 into the internal iliac ; which being so very short soon ends 

 in the common iliac. The lateral sacral, which receives the 

 sacro spinal, also ends in the internal iliac. The common 



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