THE CANCELLI OF BONES 107 



the part in question will show that this descrip- 

 tion of the cancelli is imperfect as well as incor- 

 rect ; that the cancelli do not centre on the lesser 

 trochanter, as this process is situated not on the 

 under side of the neck, but on the posterior and 

 inner face of the upper portion of the shaft, and 

 does not, therefore, come within their range. The 

 cancelli converge and bear upon the under thick- 

 ened and arched shell of bone, but their common 

 centre is at least an inch exterior to and below it. 

 Bourgery and Jacob, in speaking of the inter- 

 nal structure of the head and neck, describe the 

 first as provided with cancelli forming circular 

 areolse ; the second as made up of two portions 

 an inferior one consisting of " small parallel 

 columns, which evidently transmit the weight of 

 the superior segment of the head on to the in- 

 ferior border of the neck. Those parts which 

 are out of the line of pressure (liors de la ligne 

 de pression], having nothing to support, will 

 be formed of a more delicate tissue." They also 

 recognize a mass of fibres which enclose the vas- 

 cular canals, and which " seems to have for its 

 object the union of the head and trochanter with 

 each other and with the shaft of the bone." " It 

 communicates with the head and neck by a fasci- 

 culus of radiating fibres, and with the trochanter 

 by a strong lamina, which bifurcates, intercepting 

 two reticular spaces, and externally joins the com- 



