

744 OS FEMORIS. 



trochanter major, wliich is continuous with the outer side of 

 the shaft. It is a "broad, rough, convex eminence, over 

 which glides the tendon of the gluteus maximus muscle; 

 to its summit is attached the gluteus medius; to its ante- 

 rior surface the gluteus minimus, and to its posterior the 

 quadratus femoris. Internally this trochanter presents at 

 its base a pit or fossa in which are inserted the tendons of 

 the rotator muscles of the thigh, as the pyriformis, gemelli, 

 and obturators externus and internus. On the inner and 

 posterior side of the upper part of the shaft is the tro- 

 chanter minor. This is a conical projection below the great 

 trochanter, and gives insertion to the tendons of the psoas 

 magnus and iliacus internus muscles. Between the two 

 trochanters are seen two lines, one in front the other 

 behind, called inter-trochanteric lines , to which, are attached 

 the quadratus femoris muscle and the capsular ligament. 



The lower extremity of the femur is large and broad, 

 and is divided into an external and internal condyle sepa- 

 rated by an intervening notch. Each condyle presents an 

 outer and an inner face. The external is larger and more 

 prominent; its articular surface is higher and broader. Its 

 outer surface is rough for the attachment of the external 

 lateral ligament ; its inner surface is also rough, and gives 

 attachment at its posterior part to the anterior crucial lig- 

 ament. The internal condyle is longer and narrower than 

 the external. To its inner side are attached the internal 

 lateral ligament and adductor tendon, and to its outer side 

 the posterior crucial ligament. Both condyles have a 

 greater convexity behind than before. The inferior ex- 

 tremity presents many foramina for the passage of vessels. 



The body of the femur is composed of compact tissue 

 traversed by a medullary canal, while its extremities are 

 cellular. 



Its development is from five points ; one for the shaft, one 

 for each extremity, and one for each trochanter. It is 

 among the first of the long bones to ossify, ossification 

 being observed at the close of the second month. In the 

 condyles ossification takes place during the ninth month; 



