224 



SPECIAL ANATOMY OF THE SKELETON 



A well-marked prominence of variable size, which projects from the upper and 

 front part of the neck at its junction with the great trochanter, is called the 

 tubercle of the femur; it is the point of meeting of five muscles the Glutens mini- 

 mus externally, the Vastus externus below, and the tendon of the Obturator interims 

 and Gemelli internally. Running obliquely downward and inward from the 

 tubercle is the spiral line of the femur, or anterior intertrochanteric line (linea inler- 

 trochanterica); it winds around the inner side of the shaft, below the lesser tro- 

 chanter, and terminates about two inches below this eminence in the linea aspera. 

 Its upper half is rough, and affords attachment to the iliofemoral ligament of the 

 hip-joint; its lower half is less prominent, and gives origin to the upper part of the 

 Vastus internus. Running obliquely downward and inward from the summit 

 of the great trochanter on the posterior surface of the neck is a very prominent, 



well-marked ridge, the posterior intertrochanteric 

 line (crista intertrochanterica). Its upper half 

 forms the posterior border of the great tro- 

 chanter, and its lower half runs downward and 

 inward to the upper and back part of the lesser 

 trochanter. A slight ridge sometimes com- 

 mences about the middle of the posterior intertro- 

 chanteric line, and passes vertically downward 

 for about two inches along the back part of the 

 shaft; it is called the linea quadrati, and gives 

 attachment to the Quadratus femoris and a few 

 fibres of the Adductor magnus muscles. 1 



The Shaft (corpus femoris). The shaft, almost 

 cylindrical in form, is a little broader above than 

 in the centre, and somewhat flattened below, from 

 before backward. It is slightly arched, so as to 

 be convex in front and concave behind, where it 

 is strengthened by a prominent longitudinal ridge, 

 the linea aspera. It presents for examination 

 three borders, separating three surfaces. Of 

 the three borders, one, the linea aspera, is poste- 

 rior; the other two are placed laterally. 



The linea aspsra (Fig. 178) is a prominent 

 longitudinal ridge or crest, on the middle third 

 of the bone, presenting an external lip (labium 

 latcrale), an internal lip (labium mediate), and a 

 rough intermediate space. Above, this crest is 

 prolonged by three ridges. The most external 

 ridge is very rough, and is continued almost 



vertically upward to the base of the great trochanter. It is sometimes termed 

 the gluteal ridge (tuberositas glutaea), and gives attachment to part of the Glutens 

 maximus muscle; its upper part is sometimes elongated into a roughened 

 crest, on which is a more or less well-marked, rounded tubercle, a rudimental 

 third trochanter (trochanter tertius). The middle ridge (linea pectinea), the least 

 distinct, is continued to the base of the lesser trochanter, and the internal ridge is 

 lost above in the spiral line of the femur. Below, the linea aspera is prolonged 

 by two ridges, which pass to the condyles and enclose between them a triangular 

 space, the popliteal surface (planum popliteum), upon which rests the popliteal 

 artery, Of these two ridges, the outer one is the more prominent, and descends 

 to the summit of the outer condyle. The inner one is less marked, especially at 



ADDUCTOR . 

 TUBERCLE ' 



FIG. 178. Diagram of linea aspera. 

 (After Birmingham.) 



1 Generally there is merely a slight thickening about the centre of the intertrochanteric line, marking the point 

 of attachment of the Quadratus femoris. This is termed by some anatomists the tubercle of the Quadratus. 



