Lymphatic glands lying on the fascia lata in the neighbourhood of the
saphenous opening.

H. The fleshy part of the external oblique muscle.

a a a. The superficial fascia of the abdomen.

b. The same fascia forming an envelope for the spermatic cord and
scrotum.

c. Inguinal glands lying near Poupart's ligament.

d. A common venous trunk, formed by branches from the thigh and abdomen,
and joining--

e e. The saphenous vein.

f. The middle cutaneous nerve, derived from the anterior crural nerve.

g. Femoral lymphatic glands.

h. Superficial external iliac vein.

i. Superficial epigastric vein.

k. External cutaneous branches of nerves from the lumbar plexus.

[Illustration: Abdomen and leg, showing blood vessels, muscles
and other internal organs.]
PLATE 27

COMMENTARY ON PLATES 28 & 29.

THE SURGICAL DISSECTION OF THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH
LAYERS OF THE INGUINAL REGION IN CONNEXION WITH THOSE OF THE
THIGH.

The common integument or first layer of the inguino-femoral region being
removed, we expose the superficial fascia constituting the second layer.
The connexion of this fascia with Poupart's ligament along the line C D,
together with the facts, that corresponding with this line the fascia is
devoid of adipous substance, and the integument thin and delicate,
whilst above over the abdomen, and below over the upper part of the
thigh, the meshes of the fascia are generally loaded with a considerable
quantity of adipous tissue, will account for the permanency and
distinctness of the fold of the groin. As this fold corresponds with
Poupart's ligament, it is taken as a guide to distinguish between the
inguinal and femoral forms of herniae.

The general relations of the superficial fascia are well described by
Camper in the following sentence: "Musculus obliquus igitur externus
abdominis, qua parte carneus est, membrana quadam propria, quali omnes
musculi, tegitur, quae sensim in aponeurosin mutata, ac cum tendineis
hujus musculi partibus unita, externe ac anteriore parte abdomen tegit;
finem vero nullibi habere perspicuum est, ad pubem enim miscet cellulosa
membrana, cum ligamento penis in viris ac clitoridis in feminis,
involucrum dat musculo cremasteri, ac aponeuroseos speciem musculis
anterioribus femoris, qua glandulae inguinales, ac cruris vasa majora
obteguntur." (Icones Herniarum.)

Owing to the varied thickness of the adipous tissue contained in the
superficial