[ 120 3 



c H A p. vni. 



THE BONES OF THE INFERIOR EXTREMITY. 



he Os Femor'u.-' Bones of the Leg, The. Foot, 



THE bones of the lower extremities are divided 

 into the thigh-bone, the bones of the leg, and 

 the bones of the foot. 



The os fennoris, or thigh-bone, is the longeft bone 

 in the body, and is the largeft, thickeft, and ftrongeft 

 of the cylindrical bones. The lower extremities are 

 connected to the trunk by the head of the os feraoris 

 being received into the acetabulum. The thigh- 

 bone is not placed in a perpendicular direction, the 

 upper ends of the tiii^h- bones being much farther 

 apart than the lower ; and from the greater width of 

 the pe.lvis in women, this difference is much more 

 remarkable in them than in men. The body of this 

 bone is fomewhat of a triangular form ; it is convex 

 before and flat behind, and is marked particularly be- 

 hind by bony ridges, which ferve for the connection 

 of mufcles. This bcve is perforated at one or two 

 places for the reception of blood -veffels. 



The os femotis is not a ftrait bone, but is arched 

 confiderably forwards. Its head is turned inwards, 

 and the neck is almoll horizontal, confidered with 

 refpect to its fuuation with the body of the bone. 

 Throughout two-thirds of the length of the thigh- 

 bone, at its pofterior part, we obferve a ridge called the 

 linea afpera, which originates from the trochanters, 



and 



