134 



PRACTICAL ANATOMY. 



border is rounded and slightly concave ; the lower 

 border arched, rough, and thick, and terminates at the 

 lesser trochanter. The anterior sur- 

 face is convex, and presents many 

 foramina for transmission of nu- 

 trient vessels; the posterior sur- 

 face is convex and smooth. At 

 birth the neck is nearly continuous 

 with the axis of the shaft ; in the 

 adult it forms an angle of about 

 115 degrees; in old age it de- 

 creases, being often a right angle, 

 or even less. The great trochanter 

 is a cuboidal mass of bone, which 

 projects upward from the upper 

 end of the shaft. It presents an 

 external and internal surface; an- 

 terior, superior, and posterior bor- 

 ders. The external surface is rect- 

 angular in outline and rough, for 

 the attachment of muscles. The 

 internal surface is small, and pre- 

 sents the digital fossa, a depres- 

 sion which affords attachment to 

 the tendon of the external obtu- 

 rator muscle. The superior border 

 presents several facets for the at- 

 tachment of muscles. The ante- 

 rior border is rough and continuous 



with the anterior inter trochanteric 

 -j" 



FIG. 62.-THE FEMUR, ANTE- li ne the posterior border is promi- 



KIOR SURFACE. 



nent and rounded, and is continu- 

 ous with the posterior intertrochanteric line. The lesser 

 trochanter is a conical projection of bone from the poste- 



