ARTICULATIONS OF THE VERTEBRA). 35E 
plates of fibro-cartilage, and fibrous tissue, alternating one with the other. 
The central part is a pulpy, elastic material, which is of a yellowish 
colour, and destitute of the concentric arrangement seen externally. The 
fibro-cartilages join at their circumference the two common vertebral 
ligaments, and in the vertebra of the back help to form the intervertebral 
cavities destined for the reception of the heads of the ribs. 
The superior vertebral ligament within the spinal canal, and attached to 
the posterior surface of the bodies of the vertebra, extends from the 
dentata to the sacrum. In the neck, it spreads across the bodies ; but in 
the back and loins it is broader opposite the intervertebral cartilage than 
opposite the bodies of the bones. It adheres firmly to the fibro-cartilages 
and to the contiguous margins of the bodies of the vertebre ; but it is 
separated from their middles by a transverse venous plexus. 
The inferior vertebral ligament reaches from the fifth dorsal vertebra to 
the first bone of the sacrum; becoming broader and broader as it ap- 
proaches the sacrum, along its course it connects itself to the inferior spines 
of the bodies of the vertebree and to the intervertebral discs. 
THE UNION OF THE VERTEBRA!) THROUGH THEIR SPINAL PART is effected 
by a superior spinal ligament and an interspinal ligament. 
The supra-spinous ligament consists of small compressed bundles of 
longitudinal fibres, extending from the last cervical spine to the spine of 
the anterior coccygeal bone, and thus forms a continuous chain. 
Fia. 1.—PROFILE VIEW OF THE LiGa- 
MENTS COMMON TO THE VERTEBRA. 
2. 2. Bodies of vertebra. 
3. 3. Spines. 
4. 4. Transverse processes. 
5. Head of the body. 
6. Oblique process. 
7. Hole of conjugation. 
8. Glenoid cavity. 
9. Supra-spinous ligament. 
10. Intra-spinous ligament. 
11. Intervertebral fibro-cartilage. 
12. Inferior common vertebral ligament, 
The interspinal ligaments consist of fibrous plates, filling up the spaces 
between the spines, and attached before and behind to their opposite 
borders. One set of these fibres pass from the anterior border of one 
spine to the posterior border of the one before it, taking a direction from 
below, forwards and upwards ; another set run from the posterior border 
of the spine to the anterior border of that situated behind it, taking a 
direction from below, upwards and backwards. 
THE ARCHES OR PLATES are connected together by the ligamenta verte- 
brarum subflava. These ligaments consist of yellow and white fibrous 
tissue. Their attachment extends from the roots of the oblique processes 
to the origin of the spinous processes. Their anterior edges are attached 
to the posterior edges of the vertebral plates which are in front. Their 
posterior edges are attached to the anterior edges and inferior faces of the 
plates which are behind. The ligamenta subflava do not exist between 
the occiput and atlas, or between the atlas and dentata. 
INTER-TRANSVERSE LIGAMENTS are situated between the transverse pro- 
cesses, running from the transverse process of one vertebra to the saine 
process of the one nex* to it. 
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