306 SKELETON. 



in front of the ridge; but this attachment is considerably behind 

 the corresponding one of the internal cartilage, and is somewhat 

 blended with the anterior crucial ligament: the posterior end is 

 fixed into the depression on the summit of the ridge or spinous 

 process, and is there between the two crucial ligaments. The 

 anterior extremities of the two cartilages are united by a trans- 

 verse ligamentous fasciculus a line in thickness, which is rather 

 inconstant; but when found, is in front of the anterior crucial 

 ligament. These bodies, though presenting an appearance cor- 

 responding with cartilages, on their surface, are, nevertheless, 

 formed principally from concentric ligamentous fibres; the cha- 

 racter of vyhich is very evident at their extremities, and when, 

 they are lacerated. 



The Synovial Membrane is thin, loose, and delicate, and, as 

 in other joints, is a perfect bag, covering the articular faces of 

 the bones, and reflected from the one to the other. As there is 

 >io regular capsular ligament to the knee joint, the synovia! 

 membrane is very distinct on each side of the tendon of the pa- 

 tella; and comes in contact there with the fascia lata, or involu- 

 crum, as it passes from the thigh to the leg. The synovia!' mem- 

 brane, after covering the articular faces of the tibia, is reflected 

 from their margin upon the semilunar cartilages so as to invest 

 their inferior and superior surfaces; it then ascends to the con- 

 dyles of the os femoris. It covers the condyles, laterally, as 

 well as on their articular faces, and leaves thereby half an inch 

 or more of their circumference on each side of the tro-chlea of 

 the patella, included in the periphery of the joint. The syno- 

 vial membrane, anteriorly, being separated from the tendon of 

 the patella, by the large mass of fat, then covers the posterior 

 face o-f the patella, and, rising up still farther, lines the posterior 

 face of the tendons of the extensor muscles for the distance of 

 three inches or thereabouts. The superior end of this reflection 

 is formed into a small pouch, communicating freely with the 

 general cavity, but marked off from it by a partial and variable 

 septum on each side. Some anatomists consider the pouch as 

 a bursa,but it is so seldom seen entirely distinct from the joint, 

 that it answers better to describe it as a part only of the gene- 

 ral reflection. The synovial membrane, at the sides of the joint-,. 

 i? in contact wiih the lateral ligaments. Behind, it is reflected 



