LIGAMENTS OF VERTEBRAE. 



347 



Fig. 109. 



number of the fibres are attached to the intervertebral fibro-cartilages than 

 to the bones ; and more are fixed to the margins than the centre of the 

 body. 



The posterior common ligament (fig. 110), much thinner than the 

 anterior, is contained in the spinal canal, lying on the posterior surface of 

 the vertebrae, and extends from the sacrum 

 to the occipital bone. This ligament is 

 wide above, and diminishes in size down- 

 wards, just the opposite of the anterior. 

 In the neck, A, it is loose, and extends 

 across the bodies. In the back and loins 

 it is a narrow band, B, which sends off 

 on each side a pointed process to be at- 

 tached to the pedicle of the neural arch ; 

 and it is wider opposite the intervertebral 

 disks than on the bodies, so that the 

 margins are dentate. One surface of the 

 ligament is in contact with the dura 

 mater ; and between the band and the 

 vertebras are the intraspinal vessels. 



Its fibres are superficial and deep as in 

 the anterior ligament, and are more 

 closely united with the intervertebral sub- 

 stance than with the bone. 



Dissection. To see the intervertebral 

 substance, the anterior and posterior com- 

 mon ligaments must be taken away. One 

 vertebra should be detached from the 



fibro-cartilage to obtain a horizontal view of this structure ; arid two other 

 vertebras should be sawn vertically to see the difference in the consistence 

 and arrangement of the laminae. 



ANTERIOR COMMON LIGAMENT OF THE 



BODIES OP THE VERTEBRA. 



a. Middle strong part, and 6, lateral 



thin part of the ligament. 



Fig. 110A. 



Fig. HOB. 



Two VIEWS OP THE POSTERIOR COMMON LIGAMENT, c, OP THE BODIES OF THE VERTEBRAE, TO 



SHOW THE DIFFERENCE IN SHAPE. 

 A, refers to its form in the neck, and B, to its shape in the loins. 



The intervertebral substance (fig. Ill) is placed between the contiguous 

 surfaces of the bodies of the vertebras, from the axis to the sacrum. It 



