'////; EXTKliXAL ILIAC ARTERIES. M9 



4. Innominate or Small Muscular Arteries. 



The femoral artery gives off on its course numerous small branches 

 d< stiucd for tho neighbouring muscles, though too diminutive to merit parti- 

 cular description. One of these furnishes the nutritive artery of the femur, 

 tin- largest, perhaps, of all the arteries supplying bones. Another (Fig. 277, 

 17) sends to the stifle a long articular branch, analogous to tho yrntt 

 'HuatiHiioticiu of Mau, which descends along the vastus interims, beneath the 

 adductors of the leg, at the interstice which separates these two muscles. 



5. Sapliena Artery. (Fig. 277, 16.) 



This artery, remarkable for its small volume, the length of its course, and 

 uncctions with the vein whose name it bears, is destined for the skin on 

 tin: inner side of the thigh and leg. 



It takes its origin at an acute angle, from nearly tho middle of the femoral 

 artery, either alone or in common with one of the principal innominate 

 muscular branches, and becomes superficial in passing into the interstice of 

 the t\vo adductors of the leg, or in traversing one of these, usually the short 

 one or gracilis. It lies on the surface of this muscle, beside the saphena 

 vein, and bifurcates at the angle of union of the two roots which constitute 

 that vessel. One of the branches accompanies the anterior vein to nearly 

 the lower third of the leg ; the other follows the posterior vein, and usually 

 anastomoses in the hollow of the hock, above the calcaneus, with a branch 

 from the posterior tibial artery, and which also communicates with one of the 

 branches of the feinoro-popliteal artery. 



Popliteal Artery. (Fig. 277, 18.) 



Preparation. The preparation which has served for the study of the femoral artery 

 m-arly arranged as in figure 277, remove from it the internal gostrocueuiius and 



The above name is given to the continuation of the femoral artery. 

 This vessel follows a descending direction behind the femoro-tibial articula- 

 tion, between tho two gastrocneinii muscles, insinuates itself beneath tho 

 poplitous, and bifurcates at the peroueal arch after a course of from 6 to 

 8 inches, to form tho posterior and anterior tibial arteries. 



The popliteal artery emits on its track : 1, Tho femora-popliteal artery ; 

 2, Articular branches ; 3, Muscular branches chiefly destined to tho 

 riirinii muscles, of which it is necessary to particularise one long 

 division that descends within the perforatus, in company with tho great 

 frinnn. -popliteal nerve, to terminate superficially near tho teudo-Achillis, 

 v.l it -re it anastomoses with a recurrent branch of tho posterior tibial 



ry (Fig. 277, 20). 



The femoro-poplileal artery is tho only ono of these collateral branches 



viiiu r particular mention. Its origin indicates the limit of tho femoral 



and popliteal arteries, as it is detached at a right angle below tho ring of 



_TC it abductor of the thigh, at tho intermediate point of these two 



vessels. Placed between tho semimembrauosis and scmitendinosis 



muscles on the ono part, and tho long vastus on tho other, this vessel is 



din ctdl from before to behind, and arrives at nearly tho posterior border of 



the buttock, where it terminates in subcutaneous branches, after emitting 



descending and ascending branches. Among tho first of tlu><, which arc 



principally destined to tho gustrocuemii muscles, sometimes exists the 



