THE HIP-JOINT. 



37 i 



rim of the acetabulum with the head of the femur. The origin is from each edge 

 of the notch and from the deeper libres of the transverse Hgament, the insertion 

 into the deepest part and upper edge of the depression in the femoral head. A 

 fresh specimen, especially from a child, shows the lower half of the depression 

 becoming gradually shallower and forming a groove in which the upper part of 

 the band rests, which, covered with the synovial membrane, completes the spheri- 

 cal shape of the head. Vessels run along the round ligament, which in infancy 



Fig. 387. 



Reflected tendon of rectus 



Back of capsule 



Tuberosity of ischium 



Ischio-femoral 

 ligament 



Right hip-joint, posterior aspect. 



and early childhood nourish the head, but in the adult they often do not enter the 

 bone. 



This ligament is sometimes wanting. According to Moser,' this defect is only in 

 the old, and is to be looked upon as a degenerative change. Comparative anatomy 

 teaches that it is the analogue of a part of the capsule. It is remarkable that it is 

 wanting in certain species closely allied to others possessing it. Besides the two 

 extremes of complete freedom within the joint and of total absence, the ligamentum 

 teres of animals is also found in an imperfectly developed condition as a fold along 



» Schwalbe's Morpholog. Arbeiten, Bd. ii., 1893. This paper gives the literature. 



