The Thigh. 343 



ly covered with muscles. In a transverse section through 

 the middle of the femur, the bone is about the centre of 

 the section and is also evenly surrounded by muscles. 

 The biceps and semi-tendinosus are here separated from 

 the bone, the adductor longus is small and the bfevis has 

 disappeared. In a transverse section, at the lower third of 

 the thig 1 h, i.e., about a hand's breadth above the knee, the 

 bone is nearest to the anterior surface of the section. In 

 antero-posterior flaps, the femoral artery is found in the 

 anterior flap if the amputation be above the middle of the 

 limb, but in the posterior, if below that point. The medul- 

 lary cavity occupies the middle two-fourths of the shaft. 

 Amputation through the thigh may be performed by 

 means of circular, modified circular or by antero-posterior 

 flaps. In the circular method the flap should be a little 

 longer on the inner and posterior aspects, because of the re- 

 traction that takes place, owing to the number of muscles 

 unattached here, and if this precaution be not taken the 

 subsequent contraction will draw the muscular cover- 

 ings of the bone upwards and backwards, and a conical 

 stump result. The best method, however, for am- 

 putation of the thigh is by a long anterior, and a short 

 posterior flap. The anterior flap being equal, in length, to a 

 diameter and a half of the limb at the saw line, and the 

 posterior flap, to a length, one-half of the diameter, at the 

 same level. The flaps are made and retracted, the mus- 

 cular structures divided from without inwards, and the 

 bone sawn through. 



