THE LOWER LIMB 



535 



tenor and outer aspect of the external semilunar fibro-cartilage is 

 ^ooved by the tendon of the pophteus, and this tendon separates 

 it from the long external lateral ligament, whilst posteriorly it is 

 connected with the posterior ligament. 



The semilunar fibro-cartilages move forwards when the knee- 

 joint is extended, and backwards when it is flexed, the external 

 more so than the internal. 



The so-called coronary ligaments are really portions of the 

 capsular ligament. They represent fibres which connect the outer 

 convex borders of the semilunar fibro-cartilages to the margins of 

 the tuberosities of the tibia, more loosely in the case of the external 

 than the internal. 



Tubercle 



Anterior Crucial Ligament 



Ant. Comu of Internal^ 

 Semilunar Fibro-cartilage \^ 



Transverse Ligament 



Ant.Comu of External 

 Semilunar Fibro-cartilage 



-Ext. Semilunar 

 Fibro-cartilage 



Post. Comu of Internal Semilunar 

 Fibro-cartilage 



Post. Comu of External Semilunar 

 Fibro-cartilage 



Posterior Crucial 

 Ligament 



Fig. 254. — The Ligaments and Fibro-Cartilages on the Head of the 



Right Tibia. 



In connection with the external semilunar fibro-cartilage there are two 

 accessory bundles, anterior and posterior. The posterior bundle extends from 

 the back part of the external semilunar fibro-cartilage to the external surface 

 of the internal condyle of the femur, where it is attached close to the posterior 

 crucial ligament. It is thick and strong, and may be double, in which 

 case the two bundles are disposed one in front of, and the other behind, the 

 posterior crucial Ugament. If single it may be in front of that ligament, or 

 behind it, and it may be closely connected with the tibial attachment of the 

 ligament. It serves as a kind of anchor to the back part of the external 

 semilunar fibro-cartilage, and so prevents too much displacement of it during 

 ; rotation. The anterior bundle constitutes the transverse Ugament. 



1' The external semilunar fibro-cartilage is to be regarded as originating from 

 the biceps femoris, and the internal from the semimembranosus, certain tex- 

 tural alterations having taken place in the course of the metamorphosis. 

 The transverse ligament is a narrow band which extends 

 I from the front of the external semilunar fibro-cartilage to the 



