58 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



IV. On the Influence of Muscular Attachments in producing 

 Modifications of the Popliteal Surface of the Femur, and 

 Alterations in the Diameters of the Shaft of that Bone in 

 the Popliteal Region, By David Hepburn, M.D., CM., 

 F.R.S.E., Lecturer on Regional Anatomy, University of 

 Edinburgh. 



(Read 16th March 1898.) 



Recent observations have shown that the long bones of 

 the human body present characters which in many ways are 

 as indicative of race and sex as those which are obtained 

 from the examination of the apparently more important 

 cranium. Thus, observations made by Dwight (1) of 

 Boston, Dorsey (2) of Chicago, and by myself (3) have 

 practically proved that the diameter of the head of the 

 humerus, femur, or tibia provides an almost certain 

 indication of the sex of the individual to which the bone 

 belonged. On the other hand, Sir William Turner (4), 

 Manouvrier (5), Scott (6) of Dunedin, and myself have 

 published observations which show that the shaft of the 

 femur in its upper, middle, and lower thirds presents 

 features which to a large extent provide race characteristics. 

 Apart from these considerations, the human femur presents 

 characters by which it may readily be distinguished from 

 the femora of those anthropoid apes which most nearly 

 resemble man. Clearly, therefore, it becomes a matter of 

 much importance to study those conditions which may 

 modify the surface contours, or materially alter the diameters 

 of this bone. 



The general proportions of the femur are doubtless 

 determined by the functions which it requires to fulfil in the 

 economy of the human body, and in certain respects these 

 are remarkably constant, for, as I have elsewhere shown (3), 

 there is almost a constant mechanical proportion between 

 the average diameter of the femoral head and its average 

 bicondyloid diameter, a proportion which may be expressed 

 as the ratio of 1 to 1*7, and which probably bears a direct 

 relationship to the erect attitude of man. As regards the 

 shaft of the femur, its antero-posterior and transverse 



