132 



KNEE JOINT. 



liga ments, by means of its coronary ligament ; and by its two 

 extremities is firmly implanted into the depression in front and 

 behind the spinous process. The external semilunar fibro- cartilage 



Fig. 60 * 



Fig. 61.t 



bounds a circular fossa for the external condyle ; it is connected by 

 its convex border with the head of the tibia, and to the external and 

 posterior ligaments, by means of its coronary ligament ; by its two 

 extremities it is inserted into the depression between the two pro- 

 jections which constitute the spinous process of the tibia. The two 



* The right knee joint laid open from the front, in order to show the internal liga- 

 ments. 1. The cartilaginous surface of the lower extremity of the femur with its 

 two condyles ; the figure 5 rests upon the external ; the figure 3 upon the internal 

 condyle. 2. The anterior crucial ligament. 3. The posterior crucial ligament. 4. 

 The transverse ligament. 5. The attachment of the ligameritum mucosum, the rest 

 has been remov%d. 6. The internal semilunar fibro-cartilage. 7. The external fibro- 

 cartilage. 8. A part of the ligamentum patellae turned down. 9. The bursa, situated 

 between the ligamentum patella; and the head of the tibia ; it has been laid open. 1 0. 

 The anterior superior tibio-fibular ligament. 11. The upper part of the interosseous 

 membrane, the opening above this membrane is for the passage of the anterior tibial 

 artery. 



t A longitudinal section of the left knee joint, showing the reflections of its synovial 

 membrane. 1. The cancellous structure of the lower part of the femur. 2. The 

 tendon of the extensor muscles of the leg. 3. The patella. 4. The ligamentum 

 patellee. 5. The cancellous structure of the head of the tibia. 6. A bursa situated 

 between the ligamentum patellae and the head of the tibia. 7. The mass of fat pro- 

 jecting into the cavity of the joint below the patella. * * The synovial membrane. 

 8. The pouch of synovial membrane which ascends between the tendon of the extensor 

 muscles of the leg, and the front of the lower extremity of the femur. 9. One of the alar 

 ligaments ; the other has been removed with the opposite section. 10. The ligamentum 

 mucosum left entire ; the section being made to its inner side. 11. The anterior or 

 external crucial ligament. 12. The posterior ligament. The scheme of the synovial 

 membrane which is here presented to the student, is divested of all unnecessary com- 

 plications. It may be traced from the sacculus (at 8), along the inner surface of the 

 patella ; then over the adipose mass (7) from which it throws off the mucous ligament 

 (10) ; then over the head of the tibia, forming a sheath to the crucial ligaments ; then 

 upwards along the posterior ligament and condyles of the femur, to the sacculus whence 

 its examination commenced. 



