246 OSTEOLOGY 



chanter, and ends about 5 cm. below this eminence in the linea aspera. Its upper 

 half is rough, and affords attachment to the iliofemoral ligament of the hip-joint; 

 its lower half is less prominent, and gives origin to the upper part of the Vastus 

 medialis. Running obliquely downward and medialward from the summit of the 

 greater trochanter on the posterior surface of the neck is a prominent ridge, the 

 intertrochanteric crest. Its upper half forms the posterior border of the greater tro- 

 chanter, and its lower half runs downward and medialward to the lesser trochanter. 

 A slight ridge is sometimes seen commencing about the middle of the intertrochan- 

 teric crest, and reaching vertically downward for about 5 cm. along the back part 

 of the body: it is called the linea quadrata, and gives attachment to the Quad- 

 ratus femoris and a few fibers of the Adductor magnus. Generally there is merely 

 a slight thickening about the middle of the intertrochanteric crest, marking the 

 attachment of the upper part of the Quadratus femoris. 



The Body or Shaft (corpus femoris) . The body, almost cylindrical in form, is 

 a little broader above than in the center, broadest and somewhat flattened from 

 before backward below. It is slightly arched, so as to be convex in front, and con- 

 cave behind, where it is strengthened by a prominent longitudinal ridge, the linea 

 aspera. It presents for examination three borders, separating three surfaces. Of 

 the borders, one, the linea aspera, is posterior, one is medial, and the other, lateral. 



The linea aspera (Fig. 245) is a prominent longitudinal ridge or crest, on the 

 middle third of the bone, presenting a medial and a lateral lip, and a narrow 

 rough, intermediate line. Above, the linea aspera is prolonged by three ridges. 

 The lateral ridge is very rough, and runs almost vertically upward to the base of 

 the greater trochanter. It is termed the gluteal tuberosity, and gives attachment 

 to part of the Glutaeus maximus : its upper part is often elongated into a roughened 

 crest, on which a more or less well-marked, rounded tubercle, the third trochanter, 

 is occasionally developed. The intermediate ridge or pectineal line is continued 

 to the base of the lesser trochanter and gives attachment to the Pectineus; the 

 medial ridge is lost in the intertrochanteric line; between these two a portion of the 

 Iliacus is inserted. Below, the linea aspera is prolonged into two ridges, enclosing 

 between them a triangular area, the popliteal surface, upon which the popliteal 

 artery rests. Of these two ridges, the lateral is the more prominent, and descends 

 to the summit of the lateral condyle. The medial is less marked, especially at its 

 upper part, where it is crossed by the femoral artery. It ends below at the summit 

 of the medial condyle, in a small tubercle, the adductor tubercle, which affords 

 insertion to the tendon of the Adductor magnus. 



From the medial lip of the linea aspera and its prolongations above and below, 

 the Vastus medialis arises; and from the lateral lip and its upward prolongation, 

 the Vastus lateralis takes origin. The Adductor magnus is inserted into the linea 

 aspera, and to its lateral prolongation above, and its medial prolongation below. 

 Between the Vastus lateralis and the Adductor magnus two muscles are attached 

 viz., the Glutseus maximus inserted above, and the short head of the Biceps 

 femoris arising below. Betweeen the Adductor magnus and the Vastus medialis 

 four muscles are inserted: the Iliacus and Pectineus above; the Adductor brevis 

 and Adductor longus below. The linea aspera is perforated a little below its center 

 by the nutrient canal, which is directed obliquely upward. 



The other two borders of the femur are only slightly marked: the lateral border 

 extends from the antero-inferior angle of the greater trochanter to the anterior 

 extremity of the lateral condyle; the medial border from the intertrochanteric line, 

 at a point opposite the lesser trochanter, to the anterior extremity of the medial 

 condyle. 



The anterior surface includes that portion of the shaft which is situated between 

 the lateral and medial borders. It is smooth, convex, broader above and below 

 than in the center. From the upper three-fourths of this surface the Vastus inter- 

 medius arises; the lower fourth is separated from the muscle by the intervention 



