THE LEG 289 



malleolar; (b) perforating branch of peroneal; (c) terminal 

 part of peroneal ; and (d) lateral tarsal. 



On the medial aspect of the joint the medial malleolar 

 branch of the anterior tibial anastomoses with small twigs 

 from the medial calcanean branches of the posterior tibial. 



SOLE OF THE FOOT. 



In this dissection the dissector will meet with the follow- 

 ing structures : 



1. Superficial fascia and cutaneous vessels and nerves. 



2. Plantar aponeurosis. 



( Abductor hallucis. 



3. Superficial muscles, -! Flexor digitorum brevis. 



( Abductor digiti quinti. 



4. Lateral and medial plantar vessels. 



5. Lateral and medial plantar nerves. 



6. Tendons of flexor hallucis longus and flexor digitorum longus. 



7. M. quadratus plantre and lumbrical muscles. 



8. Flexor hallucis brevis. Adductor hallucis, transverse and oblique heads. 



9. Flexor brevis digiti quinti. 

 10. Plantar arterial arch. 



n. Plantar metatarsal arteries. 



12. Tendons of peronoeus longus and tibialis posterior. 



13. Interosseous muscles. 



Reflection of Skin. The limb should be placed upon the table, with 

 the sole of the foot facing the dissector, and the ankle supported by a good- 

 sized block. Two incisions are required (i) a longitudinal incision along 

 the middle line of the sole, from the heel to the root of the middle toe ; 

 (2) a transverse cut, at the digital extremity of the medial incision, across 

 the sole at the roots of the toes. The skin should also be reflected from 

 the plantar surface of each of the toes. This can be done by means of 

 a longitudinal incision along its middle line. 



Superficial Fascia. When the flaps of skin which are 

 mapped out by the above incisions are reflected, the peculiar 

 character of the thick layer of superficial fascia becomes 

 apparent. It is tough and granular, and in some respects 

 resembles the superficial fascia which covers the tuber 

 ischiadicum. Traversing it are tough fibrous bands, which 

 subdivide the fatty tissue into small lobules, and connect the 

 thick skin of the sole with the plantar aponeurosis. 



Dissection. The medial calcanean nerves, which have already been 

 found piercing the ligamentum laciniatum, should be traced to their dis- 

 tribution. They supply the skin of the sole in the neighbourhood of the 

 heel. 



VOL. I 19 



