FEMORAL ARCH AND RING. 1033 



The anterior or iliac part of the fascia lata being turned aside, the sheath 

 of the femoral vessels will be in view. The sheath is divided by septa, so 

 that each vessel is lodged in a separate compartment, and the vein is sepa- 

 rated by a thin partition from the artery on one side and from the short 

 canal for the lymphatics on the other side. Along the thigh the sheath is 

 filled by the artery and vein, but behind the femoral arch it is widened at 

 the inner side. Here it is perforated for lymphatic vessels, and on this 

 account is said to be "cribriform."* This inner wider part of the sheath 

 receives the femoral hernia ; and in connection with the anatomical de- 

 scription of that disease it is designated the femoral canal. At its upper 

 end the sheath of the vessels is continuous with the lining membrane of 

 the abdomen with the fascia trans versalis at its fore part, and with the 

 fascia iliaca behind. 



When the femoral arch is being removed it will be found that a bundle 

 of fibres springing from its under surface outside the femoral vessels, 

 extends across the fore p;trt of the femoral sheath, and, widening at its 

 inner end, is fixed to the pectineal line behind Gimbernat's ligament. 

 This fibrous band is known as the deep femoral arch. Connected with the 

 same part of the bone is the conjoined tendon of the internal oblique and 

 transverse muscles ; the tendon lies before the attachment of the deep 

 femoral arch. In many cases the last-named structure is not strongly 

 marked ; and it may be found to blend with the tendon of the muscles 

 just referred to. JSTot uufrequenfcly it is altogether wanting. 



Attention may now be directed to the internal surface of the abdomen. 

 When the peritoneum has been removed, it will be observed that the fasciae 

 lining the cavity form for the most part a barrier against the occurrence of 

 hernia ; for outside the iliac vessels the fascia iliaca and fascia transversalis 

 are continuous with one another behind the femoral arch. These fasciae 

 are, in fact, but parts of the same membrane, to which different names 

 are assigned for the convenience of description, just as distinctive names 

 are applied to portions of the same artery. But where the iliac artery 

 and vein occur, the arrangement of the fasciee is different. The vessels 

 rest upon the fascia iliaca ; and the membranes, instead of joining at an 

 angle as elsewhere, are continued into the sheath of the vessels in the 

 manner above described, f 



The sheath is closely applied to the artery and vein, so that in the 

 natural or healthy state of the parts there is no space left for the formation 

 of a hernia in the compartments which belong to those vessels ; but at the 

 inner side of the blood-vessels will be found a depression which is occupied 

 but partly with the lymphatics. This is the femoral ring, the orifice of the 

 femoral canal. 



Femoral ring. After the removal of the peritoneum, this opening is not 

 at first distinctly discernible, being covered with the laminated membrane 

 (subserous) which intervenes between the peritoneum and the walls of the 

 abdomen. That part of the membrane which covers the ring was found by 



* The word "cribriform" being applied to this part as well as to the layer of the 

 superficial fascia stretched across the sapbenous opening, the two structures are dis- 

 tinguished in the following manner : the former is known as the cribriform portion of 

 the sheath of the vessels, while to the latter is assigned the name of cribriform fascia. 



t Some anatomists describe the sheath of the vessels as continued down from the 

 membranes in the abdomen, while others regard it as an emanation from the fascia of the 

 thigh, hut continuous with the abdominal fasciae. As this difference in the manner of 

 viewing the structure in question does not alter the facts in any way, it is quite immaterial 

 which of tha modes of description is adopted. 



