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ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OP 



Q. What is inserted into the pit ? — A. 

 The tendon of the extensor pedis. 



Q. What is the state of this bone during 

 colthood ? — A. Extremities are attached to 

 the body of the bone by means of cartilage. 



Q. What changes do the extremities 

 undergo just prior to adult life ? — A. They 

 become consolidated with the body of the 

 bone. 



STIFLE BONE (pATELLa). 



Q. What is the situation of the patella ? 



— A. It is situated on the anterior and infe- 

 rior extremity of the femur. 



Q. What is its general form ? — A. 

 Quadrangular, convex externally, irregularly 

 concave internally. 



Q. How is it divided ? — A. Into three 

 surfaces and four angles. 



Q. Describe the surfaces. — A. The an- 

 terior surface is convex, yet quite prominent 

 in the centre ; it has a roughened surface, 

 and is porous. The superior surface is 

 angular, uneven, and roughened. The pos- 

 terior surface is articulatory, and unequally 

 divided by an eminence running across it 

 into two shallow concavities, which are 

 adapted to the condyles of the inferior ex- 

 tremity of the femur. 



Q. Describe the form of the angles of the 

 patella. — A. They are obtuse. 



Q. Why is the anterior surface of the 

 bone roughened ? — A. For the insertion of 

 tendinous and ligamentary attachments. 



Q. What is implanted into the uneven 

 and roughened part of the superior border ? 



— A. The tendons of the rectus and vasti 

 muscles. 



Q. What is inserted into the inferior and 

 lateral angle? — A. The ligamentum pa- 

 tella. 



Q. What are the connections of this 

 bone ? — A. It is connected to the inferior 

 portion of the femur by tendinous and 

 capsular ligaments ; to the tibia it is con- 

 nected by similar ligaments. 



THIGH BONES (tIBIA AND FIBULa). 



In consequence of a horse having a very 

 large femur, and that bone appearing to 



enter into the composition of the haunch, 

 the tibia and fibula are termed thigh bones, 

 although in man they are termed bones of 

 the leg ; the fibula of the horse, however, is 

 a very small, slender bone, affixed to the 

 superior part of the external side of the 

 tibia. 



Q. What is the situation of the thigh 

 bone ? — A. It is situated between the stifle 

 and hock. 



Q. What is the form of this bone ? — A. 

 It is long, straight, prismatic ; its superior 

 extremity is larger than the inferior. 



Q. What is its direction ? — A. Oblique 

 in a contrary direction to the femur. 



Q. How is the tibia divided ? — A. Into 

 a body, superior and inferior extremities. 



Q. What is the general form of the 

 body ? — A. It is irregularly triangular, the 

 posterior face is broadest, the anterior angle 

 is rounded, and the sides are roughened. 



Q. What is peculiar to the superior ex- 

 tremity of the bone ? — A. We find two 

 iri'egular ovoid articulatory surfaces, corre- 

 sponding to the eminences on the inferior 

 extremity of the femur ; these are separated 

 by an acute elevation, and two fossa, into 

 which is inserted the lateral ligament. 



Q. Describe the inferior extremity. — A. 

 It is flattened, and has two deep articular 

 grooves running in an anterior and posterior 

 direction ; its exterior margin is roughened. 



Q. What are its connections ? — A. It 

 connects with the femur and patella supe- 

 riorly ; inferiorly, with the bones of the hock. 



FIBULA. 



Q. What is the situation of the fibula? 

 — A. At the posterior part of the tibia. 



Q. How is it connected to the tibia ? — 

 A. By cartilago-ligamentous substance. 



Q. What is the form of the two ends of 

 the bone ? — A. The superior is bulky, flat- 

 tened from side to side, and roughened. 

 The inferior is slender and tapering, and 

 extends about half way down the tibia. 



BONES OF THE HOCK (tARSUs). 



The tarsus, or hock, comprises a part of 

 the osseous structure of the horse, that 



