runs to the Internal surface of the tuberosity 
of the ischium, where, being attached to the 
bone by the aponeurosis of the obturator 
interims, it follows the curved margin of the 
ischium, and bends forward to the ramus. 
The artery is here exhausted by two branches 
i sent off near the transverse muscle of the 
j perineum. 
[ (II.) The external iliac — the other branch 
of the common iliac, after it has divided into 
two branches, near, or a little below, the 
I junction of the sacrum and ileum. It observes 
the same oblique direction outwards as the 
j common iliac. Having passed obliquely 
lover the inner edge of the psoas, and run- 
1 ning behind the peritoneum, upon this muscle 
] and the tendinous portion of the lliacus, it 
j passes to the thigh under the Fallopian liga- 
ijnent, along with the vein covering it before, 
| ail d the crural nerve attached to its external 
: side. Having passed Poupart’s ligament, it 
i becomes the common femoral. The branches 
| of this artery are, 
1. /lhe epigastric — rising at an acute 
angle, from the inner side of the trunk, near 
the external lateral margin of the abdominal 
j ring, and the inferior part of the Fallopian 
ligament. It first descends; then, being 
immediately reflected, proceeds inward, 
behind the internal and posterior surface of 
the spermatic cord and epigastric vein. Now 
rising a little higher, and resting upon the 
peritoneum as it lines the abdominal muscles, 
it passes the outer and upper commissure of 
the abdominal ring, and then proceeds inward 
junder the inferior part of the transverse 
mruscle, bending to the rectus, behind which 
it ascends to the umbilicus. 
2. 1 lie circumflex iliac, abdominal, or 
small external iliac — generally smaller than 
Ithe last, and sent off a little lower than the 
.external side of the trunk; passes upward 
jand outward, in a retrograde course, under 
.the peritoneum ; reaches the crest of the 
ileum ; and bending, parallel to the arched 
circumference of this bone, proceeds between 
the extremity of the iliacus interims and 
[transversal is, as also betwixt the transversalis 
[and obliquus interims, where it is finally ex- 
pended among the abdominal muscles. 
i Distribution of the common femoral. 
1 he common femoral, a continuation of 
the external iliac, runs without the Fallopian 
ligament in the groin. The femoral vein 
tinder which it lies, conceals its internal 
margin, while the whole is covered by a large 
quantity ot cellular substance, fat, inguinal 
glands, and the fascia of the thigh. Advanc- 
ing about two inches, it divides on the Inferior 
part ot the iliacus interims, into two arteries 
ol nearly equal size. Of these, the continu- 
ation of the trunk is called the superficial 
Ifemoral ; and that which rises from the back 
mart ot the trunk, the deep femoral or fe- 
moral profunda. From the common trunk 
generally arise, 
(T.) The deep femoral— concealed at its 
origin by the superficial femoral, the glands, 
and a quantity of fat, lies in the deep trian- 
gular cavity, between the iliacus, pectineus, 
and adductors ; and bending convexly out- 
ward, over the united iliacus and psoas, runs 
backward and downward, to the higher ex- 
tremity of the vastus interims. Having 
reached the bottom of the cavity, it again 
bends greatly forward ; and passing between 
tke long and short adductors, and the vastus 
ANATOMY. 
interims, runs, downward and backward, near 
to the middle of the femur. At last, entering 
the space between the long and short adduc- 
tors, or perforating this last muscle, it reaches 
the adductor magnus, and passes through it 
with various branches, running among the 
posterior muscles of the thigh. The first 
direction and size of the trunk vary consider- 
ably, according as it issues, sooner or later, 
from the common femoral, and according to 
the number and size of the branches which it 
sends off. Of these some are of little conse- 
quence; but there are some which merit 
attention. 
1 . The externa] circumflex— a conspicuous 
branch, and often the first when it arises from 
this artery ; though it sometimes issues from 
the superficial femoral. It bends outward, 
between the iliacus interims, the rectus and 
sartorius, and between the tensor faciae and 
the anterior surface of the middle gluteus ; 
then passing transversely under the tendi- 
nous head of the vastus externus, disappears 
at last near the root of the large trochanter. 
2. The internal circumflex — rises near the 
origin of the external, from the internal and 
posterior part of the trunk; passes to the 
middle of the pectineus through the adipose 
substance, between this muscle and the 
tendon of the psoas, and runs deeply back- 
ward above the trochanter minor. Con- 
cealed here by muscles and fat, it divides 
into branches between the short and great 
adductor, or between the adductor and pec- 
tineus. Of these branches, the largest ap- 
proaches the neck of the femur, acetabulum, 
and obturator externus, and proceeding s out- 
wards and backwards to the insterstice be- 
tween the qua drat us and adductor rnagnus, 
divides into two branches ; and is partly ex- 
pended on the muscles attach k 1 to the 
femur, and partly through the interstice to 
the flexus of the thigh. 
3. The perforants. 
(IT.) The superior femoral artery, lying 
externally, and covered through its whole 
course by the broad facia, by the inguinal 
glands above, and on the middle part by the 
sartorius, as it runs obliquely across the femur. 
It then proceeds downward, inward, and 
backward, passing gradually from the anterior 
to the inner surface of the thigh, and from 
that <:o the ham or poples. At first it is sepa- 
rated from the deep femoral, by a quantity 
of fat, and by the glands ; then lies upon the 
vastus interims, and, passing along in a de- 
clivity between the vastus interims and ad- 
ductors, enters the oblique canal in the com- 
mon tendon of the adductors. Having passed 
through this canal, it takes the name of pop- 
liteal artery, where it runs from the inner to 
the back part of the thigh. Before reaching 
the posterior part, it passes over two-thirds of 
the femur; and though the thigh be here 
more slender than at the superior part, it lies 
more deeply concealed among the muscles. 
1. The large anastomatic branch, rising 
from the inner surface of the trunk, at the 
superior margin of the tendinous canal ; and, 
bending downwards, spreads, with many ser- 
pentine ramifications, on the vastus internus, 
into which it sinks. 
2. The several perforants. 
The popliteal artery; that part of the su- 
perficial femoral which runs along the ham. 
Its superior part is bounded by the posterior 
margin of the tendon of the triceps, audits in- 
05 
ferior by the higher extremity of the soleus 
muscle, under which it divides into the an- 
terior and posterior tibial arteries. Being co- 
vered externally by the aponeurosis which 
surrounds the joint, it runs obliquely out- 
ward and downward, through the adipose 
substance, between the flexor tendons, passing, 
into the cavity between the condyles and the 
heads of the gustrocnemii. As it proceeds 
over the joint of the knee, it lies upon the 
capsules and afterwards on the popliteal mus- 
cle. The numerous branches to which, in 
this course, it gives origin, are divided into 
articular and muscular. 
1 . The anterior tibial artery, smaller than 
the posterior, rises anteriorly "from the pop- 
liteal, at the inferior margin of the popliteal 
muscle, and, perforating the interosseous 
ligament, runs to the anterior part of the leg. 
It descends on the ligament, at first between 
the tibialis anticus and common extensor, then 
between the anticus and extensor longus of 
the great toe. In this course it lies nearer 
the fibula than the tibia ; but gradually sepa- 
rating from the ligament, it turns forwards 
and inwards the farther it descends; and pass- 
ing over the lower extremity of the tibia and 
the tarsus, along with the extensor tendons, 
under the crucial ligament, divides s between 
the first and second metatarsal hones into 
two branches ; of which one, sinking between 
the bones to the planta of the foot, inosculates 
with the branches of the posterior tibial, 
while the other, passing along the dorsum of 
the foot, runs to the great toe. 
(II.) The posterior tibial, the other branch 
of the popliteal, passes down under the soleus 
upon the posterior surface of the flexor 
longus and tibialis posticus, to the lower extre- 
mity of the tibia, and is afterwards inflected to 
the sole of the foot, behind the internal ancle. 
While there covered by the laciniated liga- 
ment and fat, it meets the broad extremity 
ot the abductor pollicis, and divides into two 
branches: one of which passing to the great 
toe, is the internal plantar ; the external 
planter runs- to the sole, between the flexor 
brevis and longus, and under these, still 
deeper, to the fifth metatarsal bone. Here 
returning to the great toe, by an oblique and 
transverse flexion under the tendons of the 
flexor longus, it forms the plantar arch. Its 
chief branch is, 
1. 'File common fibular or peroneal, very 
irregular in size and in the distribution of its 
branches. It often equals in dimension the 
anterior tibial; sometimes is entirely wanting, 
and at other times is rather smaller than the 
posterior tibial. Rising near the upper part 
of the tibialis posticus, it descends between the 
muscle and the flexor pollicis, by which a 
little lower it is covered ; and at last it touches 
the interosseous ligament. Near the inferior 
part of the bones, it divides into the anterior 
and posterior fibular. 
V tins. 
Veins are membranous canals, which 
either terminate in the vena cava superior, 
vena cava inferior, or vena ports. Like the 
arteries, they also consist of three tunics, but 
they have no pulsation, collapse when divided, 
possess a greater diameter than the arteries, 
have more numerous branches, a more reti- 
cular arrangement, and run more super- 
ficially. Except the veins of the viscera and 
brain, these vessels also possess valves. 
The veins of the external part of the head 
