THE KNEE-JOINT. 



401 



little below the top ; for the articular cartilage is continued over the border onto 

 the sides. It is lower at the back of the outer tuberosity, where the joint sometimes 

 joins that of the head of the fibula. It is attached to the periphery of the semi- 

 lunar cartilages. This, which is the capsule proper, is very much strengthened by 

 surrounding structures. On each side a strong fibrous layer passes from the con- 

 dyles to the patella {^ailerons de la rotule of French authors) (Fig. 418). Super- 

 ficial to this, and not adherent to it, come the aponeurotic -fibres of the vasti, and 

 still more superficially the fascia lata. They fuse with the capsule at the sides of 



Fig. 416. 



Tendon of quadriceps extensor 



Patella. 



Capsule 

 External lateral ligament 



Tendon ot biceps 



Internal lateral ligamert 

 Ligamentum patellae 



Sartorius turned back 



Fibula Interosseous Tibia 

 membrane 



Right knee-joint from before. 



the patella, but extend over the latter in two tolerably distinct layers. Both heads 

 of the gastrocnemius and the plantaris are to a great extent incorporated with the 

 capsule behind (Fig. 417). The tendon of the semimembranosus, which has its 

 chief insertion in the groove in the inner side of the tibia where it is covered by the 

 more superficial lateral fibres of the capsule, sends across the back of the capsule 

 strong transverse diverging fibres, known as the ligament of "Winslow, some of 

 which are direcdy continuous with the outer head of the gastrocnemius (Fig. 417). 

 Some longitudinal fibres near the back of the inner side, only artificially separable 



26 



