32 ON THE ANATOMY OF THE 



muscle than the others, which, however, are most- 

 firmly united to the aponeurosis of the flexor bre- 

 vis ; while their action is assisted by some muscu- 

 lar slips attached to the body of the muscle, and 

 descending along these three tendons for about half 

 an inch. 



The muscle corresponding to the flexor commu- 

 nis in man, arises from the whole posterior part of 

 the tibia to within an inch of its lower extremity, 

 and sends off a tendon, which, passing through a 

 notch in the lower extremity of the tibia, descends 

 toward the root of the metacarpal bone of the 

 thumb, and then divides into two branches, desti- 

 ned to become the perforating tendons of the fore 

 and little fingers. 



There is no flexor proprius pollicis ; but the 

 corresponding muscle arises from the whole poste- 

 rior part of the fibula, and ends in a strong tendon, 

 passing through a groove in the os calcis, so deep 

 as almost to conceal it even when the softer parts 

 are removed, and running below the other flexors, is 

 subdivided into three tendons, which are thus distri- 

 buted : The first and strongest is sent to the thumb, 

 where it passes between the double insertion of the 

 flexor brevis ; the other two form the perforating 

 tendons of the middle and ring fingers. The ten- 

 dons of the three flexors are all firmly united in the 

 palm, by condensed cellular substance, to each o- 

 ther, and to the little fleshy appendages of the 

 flexor brevis. 



