the hernial sac. The crural septum
has, at the same time, entered the canal as a second investment of the
bowel. The hernia is now enclosed by the sheath, G, Fig. 1, Plate 43, of
the canal itself. [Footnote 1] Its further progress through the
saphenous opening, B F, Fig. 1, Plate 44, must be made either by
rupturing the weak inner wall of the canal, or by dilating this part; in
one or other of these modes, the herniary sac emerges from the canal
through the saphenous opening. In general, it dilates the side of the
canal, and this becomes the fascia propria, B G. If it have ruptured the
canal, the hernial sac appears devoid of this covering. In either case,
the hernia, increasing in size, turns up over the margin of F, the
falciform process, [Footnote 2] and ultimately rests upon the iliac
fascia lata, below the pubic third of Poupart's ligament. Sometimes the
hernia rests upon this ligament, and simulates, to all outward
appearance, an oblique inguinal hernia. In this course, the femoral
hernia will have its three parts--neck, body, and fundus--forming nearly
right angles with each other: its neck [Footnote 3] descends the crural
canal, its body is directed to the pubis through the saphenous opening,
and its fundus is turned upwards to the femoral arch.

[Footnote 1: The sheath of the canal, together with the crural septum,
constitutes the "fascia propria" of the hernia (Sir Astley Cooper). Mr.
Lawrence denies the existence of the crural septum.]

[Footnote 2: The "upper cornu of the saphenous opening," the "falciform
process" (Burns), and the "femoral ligament" (Hey), are names applied to
the same part. With what difficulty and perplexity does this
impenetrable fog of surgical nomenclature beset the progress of the
learner!]

[Footnote 3: The neck of the sac at the femoral ring lies very deep, in
the undissected state of the parts (Lawrence).]

The crural hernia is much more liable to suffer constriction than the
inguinal hernia. The peculiar sinuous course which the former takes from
its point of origin, at the crural ring, to its place on Poupart's
ligament, and the unyielding fibrous structures which form the canal
through which it passes, fully account for the more frequent occurrence
of this casualty. The neck of the sac may, indeed, be supposed always to
suffer more or less constriction at the crural ring. The part which
occupies the canal is also very much compressed; and again, where the
hernia turns over