by the psoas muscle, and
invested and bound to their place by the peritonaeum, and a thin process
of the iliac fascia. Some lymphatic glands are here found to lie over
the course of the vessels. The spermatic artery and vein, together with
the genito-crural nerve, descend along the outer border of the iliac
artery. When arrived at Poupart's ligament, the iliac vessels, I K,
become complicated by their own branches, and also by the spermatic
vessels, as these are about to pass from the abdomen through the
internal inguinal ring. While passing beneath the middle of Poupart's
ligament, D, the iliac artery, I, having its vein, K, close to its inner
side, rests upon the inner border of the psoas muscle, and in this place
it may be effectually compressed against the os pubis. The anterior
crural nerve, P, which in the iliac region lies concealed by the psoas
muscle, and separated by this from the vessels, now comes into view,
lying on the outer side of the artery. When the vessels have passed from
beneath Poupart's ligament, the serous membrane no longer covers them,
but the fibrous membrane is seen to invest them in the form of a sheath,
divided into two compartments, one of which (internal) receives the
vein, the other the artery. The iliac vessels, in passing to the thigh,
assume the name of femoral.

The femoral vessels, O N W, in the upper third of the thigh traverse a
triangular space, the base of which is formed by Poupart's ligament, D,
whilst the sides and apex are formed by the sartorius, Q, and adductor
longus muscles, T, approaching each other. In the undissected state of
the part, the structures which bound this space can in general be easily
recognised. A central depression extends from the middle of its base, D,
to its apex, V, and marks the course of the vessels. Near the middle of
Poupart's ligament, the vessels are comparatively superficial, and here
the artery may be felt pulsating; but lower down, as they approach the
apex of the triangle, the vessels become gradually deeper, till the
sartorius muscle inclining from its origin obliquely inwards to the
centre of the thigh, w, at length overlaps them. The inner border of the
sartorius muscle at the lower part of the upper third of the thigh, W,
guides to the position of the artery. Whilst traversing the femoral
triangle, the vessels enclosed in their proper sheath are covered by the
fascia lata, adipose membrane, and integument. In this place they lie
imbedd