292 SKELETON. 



formed by the cartilage of the radius. The margins of this 

 projecting point of the radial cartilage are fibrous, which has 

 induced the French anatomists to speak of it under the name 

 of triangular ligament. It is, in fact, an inter-articular fibro- 

 cartilage, and is said to be occasionally .detached from the ra- 

 dius, but I have not seen it in that state: ite centre not unfre- 

 quently is perforated, so that a communication exists between 

 this joint and the next of the wrist. Its margins adhere very 

 closely to the capsular ligament, and its point is fixed into the 

 depression which separates the styloid process of the ulna from 

 its head. The synovial membrane which lines this cavity is 

 unusually loose, both before and behind, in consequence of the 

 great motion of the bones: it is also very loose above. This 

 joint is sometimes called the Sacciform, from its looseness. 



2. Of the Radio-Carpal Articulation. The radius above, and 

 the scaphoides, lunare, and cuneiforme below,, form the basis of 

 this articulation. An oblong, elliptical cavity, the ulnar extre- 

 mity of which is made by the projection of the cartilage of the 

 radius, receives the convexity of the bones of the wrist. The 

 scaphoides and the lunare come in contact with the radius, 

 while the cuneiforme rests against the projecting cartilage. 

 There is a slight elevation of the radial cartilage opposite to 

 the interstice between the first two bones. The oblong ellipti- 

 cal cavity is filled by a corresponding head, on the part of the 

 bones of the carpus just enumerated. Each of the latter bones, 

 in a fresh state, is covered by its appropriate cartilage. The 

 cartilages are connected, or rather continued into one another, 

 by a narrow fibro-cartilaginous substance placed at the margin 

 of the interstice between these bones. This substance sepa- 

 rates the cavity of the radio-carpal articulation from that of the 

 proper carpal articulation. 



The Capsular Ligament arises, before and behind, around 

 the margin of the articular face of the bones of the fore arm, 

 from the styloid process of the radius to that of the ulna, ad- 

 hering very closely to the margins of the fibro-cartilage insi- 

 nuated between the ulna and the cuneiforme. It is inserted 

 below 7 , into the circumference of the head formed by the sca- 

 phoides, lunare, and cuneiforme, though many of its fibres may 



