Chap, xx.] THE THIGH. 461 



Amputation of the hip is usually now performed by 

 means of some form of racket incision. (See the author's 

 " Operative Surgery.") The sciatic nerves and vessels 

 are cut on the lower border of the flap, while on its 

 face are divided branches of the sciatic, perforating, 

 and circumflex arteries. 



CHAPTER XX. 



THE THIGH. 



UNDER the term " the thigh " it will be convenient 

 to describe that part of the lower limb that extends 

 between the regions just described, and the districts 

 of the knee and popliteal space. 



Surface anatomy. In muscular subjects the 

 outline of the thigh is irregular, but in the less 

 muscularly developed, who are provided with a good 

 share of subcutaneous fat, the limb, in this section of 

 it, is more or less evenly rounded. The prominence 

 of the rectus muscle is noticeable on the front of the 

 thigh, especially when the muscle is in action. To 

 the inner side of this structure, and conspicuous along 

 the lower half of the thigh, is the eminence formed 

 by the vastus internus. The mass to the outer side 

 of the rectus is composed of the external vastus 

 muscle, and occupies the greater part of the limb in 

 this region, being, however, more conspicuous below. 



Eunning down the anterior and inner aspect of 

 the thigh, from the apex of Scarpa's triangle, is a 

 depression which indicates the interval between the 

 quadriceps muscle and the adductors. Along this 

 groove the sartorius lies. Over the surface of the 

 vastus externus a longitudinal depression is often to 

 be observed formed by the pressure exercised by the 

 superimposed ilio-tibial band of the fascia lata (Quain'a 



