ANATOMY OF SUPERFICIAL PARTS. 553 



inserted into it. On each side of the patella is the projection of the con- 

 dyle of the femur, but that on the inner side is the largest. If the fingers 

 are passed along the sides of the patella whilst the joint is half-bent, they 

 will be conducted to the tuberosities of the head of the tibia, and to a 

 slight hollow between the bones. 



Behind the joint is a slight dspression over the situation of the ham or 

 popliteal space ; and on its sides are firm boundaries, which are formed by 

 the tendons (hamstrings) of the flexor muscles of the leg. 



Dissection. With the position of the limb the same as before directed, 

 the student begins the dissection with the examination of the subcutaneous 

 fatty tissue with its nerves and vessels. 



At first the integument is to be reflected only from the hollow on the 

 front of the thigh close below Poupart's ligament. To raise the skin 

 from this part, an incision about four inches in length, and only skin deep, 

 is to be made from the pubes along the inner border of the thigh. At the 

 lower end of the first incision, another cut is to be directed outwards 

 across the front of the limb to the outer aspect ; and at the upper end the 

 knife is to be carried along the line of Poupart's ligament as far as the 

 crest of the hip bone. The piece of skin included by these incisions is 

 to be raised and turned outwards, without taking with it the subcutaneous 

 fat, 



The subcutaneous fatty tissue, or the superficial fascia, forms a general 

 investment for the limb, and is constructed of a network of areolar tissue, 

 with fat or adipose substance amongst the meshes. As a part of the com- 

 mon covering of the body, it is continuous with that of the neighboring 

 regions, consequently it may be followed inwards to the scrotum or labiurn, 

 and upwards on the abdomen. 



Its thickness varies in different bodies, according to the quantity of fat 

 in it ; and at the upper part of the thigh it is divisible into two strata 

 (superficial and deep) by some cutaneous vessels and inguinal glands. 

 The superficial of the two layers is apparent after the removal of the skin, 

 but its connections will be made more evident by the following dissection. 



Dissection. To reflect the superficial stratum of the fascia, incisions 

 similar to those in the skin are to be employed, though the transverse one 

 is not to reach so low on the thigh by a couple of inches ; and the separa- 

 tion from the subjacent structures is to be begun at the lower part, where 

 the large saphenous vein, and a condensed or membranous appearance on 

 the under surface, will mark the depth of the stratum. This layer of the 

 fat may be thrown upwards readily, by a few touches of the knife along 

 the middle line of the limb ; but where vessels and glands are not found, 

 viz., along the outer and inner borders of the thigh, the separation of the 

 superficial fascia into two layers cannot be easily made. 



The subcutaneous layer of the fat decreases in thickness near Poupart's 

 ligament, becoming more fibrous at the same spot ; and at its under aspect 

 is a smooth and membranous surface. It conceals the superficial vessels 

 and the inguinal glands, and is separated by these from Poupart's liga- 

 ment. 



Dissection (fig. 193). The inguinal glands and the superficial vessels 

 are to be next laid bare by the removal of the surrounding fat ; but the 

 student is to be careful not to destroy the deeper, very thin layer of the 

 superficial fascia, which is beneath them, and is visible chiefly on the 

 inner side of the centre of the limb. Three sets of vessels are to be dis- 

 sected out : One set (artery and vein) is directed inwards to the pubes, 



