82 Anatomy Applied to Medicine and Smgety. 



carpi radialis on the inner side and the supinator longus 

 muscle on the outer side. 



Nerve Stretching. The median nerve may be 

 stretched, either in the lower part of the forearm or, at the 

 bend of the elbow, where it lies one-half inch internal 

 to the biceps tendon. The former situation is preferred, 

 since it is not advisable to operate at the flexure of a 

 joint, as, in such a case, there is always a possibility that 

 subsequent contraction of the tissues may interfere with 

 the future extension of the limb. To stretch the nerve in 

 the lower part of its course, an incision should be made 

 between the tendons of the palmaris longus and the flexor 

 carpi radialis muscles, the two prominent tendons at the 

 middle of the front of the wrist. After exposing these 

 tendons, the former is drawn outwards and the latter in- 

 wards and the nerve will be found lying beneath the 

 palmaris longus and between the tendon of the flexor 

 carpi radialis and the outer tendons of the flexor sublimis 

 digitorum. The ulnar nerve may be stretched through 

 an incision made behind the internal condyle, but, in oper- 

 ating on this nerve, it is better to expose it in either the 

 middle or the lower part of its course, through incisions 

 similar to those employed in the ligation of the lower part 

 of the ulnar artery. When so exposed, the nerve is found 

 lying on the ulnar side of the artery, external to the border 

 er of the flexor carpi ulnaris. The radial nerve may be 

 stretched on making an incision in the line of the radial 

 artery about the middle third of the arm, and, on drawing 

 the supinator longus externally, the nerve will be found 

 lying to the radial side of the radial artery. 



Fractures of the bones of the forearm. Radius. 

 The neck of the radius is very rarely broken, but, when it 

 does occur, the upper fragment is supinated to a slight 

 degree by the fibres of the supinator brevis that are 



