120 



FEMUR. 



Fig. 58.* 



front, and covered with muscles ; and somewhat concave and raised into 

 a rough prominent ridge behind, the linea aspera. The linea aspera near 

 the upper extremity of the bone divides into three branches. The ante- 

 rior branch is continued forwards in front of the lesser trochanter, and is 

 continuous with the anterior intertrochanteric line ; the middle is continued 

 directly upwards into the linea quadrati ; and the posterior, broad and 

 strongly marked, ascends to the base of the trochanter major. Towards the 

 lower extremity of the bone, the linea aspera divides into two ridges, 

 which descend to the two condyles, and enclose a triangular space upon 

 which rests the popliteal artery. The internal condyloid ridge is less 

 marked than the external, and presents a broad and shallow groove, for 

 the passage of the femoral artery. The nutritious fora- 

 men is situated in or near the linea aspera, at about one- 

 third from its upper extremity, and is directed obliquely 

 from below upwards. 



The lower extremity of the femur is broad and por- 

 ous, and divided by a smooth depression in front, and 

 by a large fossa (fossa intercondyloidea) behind into 

 two condyles. 



The external condyle is the broadest and most promi- 

 nent, and the internal the narrowest and longest ; the 

 difference in length depending upon the obliquity of the 

 femur, in consequence of the separation of the two 

 bones at their upper extremities by the breadth of the 

 pelvis. The external condyle is marked upon its outer 

 side by a prominent tuberosity, which gives attachment 

 to the external lateral ligament ; and immediately be- 

 neath this is the fossa, which lodges the tendon of origin 

 of the popliteus. By the internal surface it gives at- 

 tachment to the anterior crucial ligament of the knee- 

 joint ; and by its upper and posterior part, to the exter- 

 nal head of the gastrocnemius and to the plantaris. The 

 internal condyle projects upon its inner side into a tu- 

 berosity, to which is attached the internal lateral liga- 

 ment ; above this tuberosity, at the extremity of the in- 

 ternal condyloid ridge, is a tubercle, for the insertion 

 of the tendon of the adductor magnus ; and beneath 

 the tubercle, upon the upper surface of the condyle, a 

 depression, from which the internal head of the gastrocnemius arises. 

 The outer side of the internal condyle is rough and concave, for the at- 

 tachment of the posterior crucial ligament. 



Development. By five centres ; one for the shaft, one for each extre 

 mity, and one for each tsochanter. The femur is the first of the long bones 

 to show signs of ossification. In it, ossific matter is found immediately 

 after the maxillae before the termination of the second month of embryonic 

 life. The secondary deposits take place in the following order, in the 



* A diagram of the posterior aspect of the right femur, showing the lines of attach 

 merit of the muscles. The muscles attached to the inner lip are, -p, the pectineus ; a b. 

 the adductor brevis; and a I, the adductor longus. The middle portion is occupied for 

 its whole exff-nT by a m, the adductor magnus; and is continuous superiorly with qf 

 'he linea quadruti, into which the quadratus femoris is inserted. The outer lip is occu 

 pied by r m, th^ gluteus maximus; and 6, the short head of the biceps. 



