136 



RACTICAL ANATOMY. 



mediate surface. The outer lip begins at the outer part 

 of the great trochanter, and curves downward and in- 

 ward, and then outward, to the outer epicondyle. The 

 inner -lip begins at the lesser trochanter and terminates 

 at the inner epicondyle. At the lower fourth of the 

 femur the divergence of the inner and outer lips of the 

 linea aspera leaves a triangular, flat space, called the 

 popliteal space. The linea aspera serves for the attach- 

 ment of muscles. The shaft of the femur is cylindrical 



and slightly bowed for- 

 ward. The^.iftferipr ex- 

 tremity is the most ex- 

 panded portion of the 

 bone, and presents the 

 inner and outer condyles 

 for articulation with thr 

 tibia.. They are separ- 

 ated by the intercondyloid 

 notch posteriorly, and, to 

 some extent, below. The 

 condyles project behind 

 the plane of the posterior 

 surface of the femur for 

 nearly one inch. Their 

 anterior surface is in the same plane as the anterior sur- 

 face of the shaft. The inner condyle is the longer and 

 larger; the outer condyle is the shorter and thicker. 

 The articular surface passes upward some distance on 

 the anterior surface^ of the condyles, but higher over the 

 external than over the internal condyle. 



Just above each condyle is a prominent tubercle, 

 the inner and outer epicondyles ; to the inner is attached 

 the tendon of the great adductor ; to the outer epi- 

 condyle are attached the lateral ligaments of the knee- 



FIG. 64. .SECTION OF THE HEAD OF 

 FEMUK, SHOWING LAMELLAE. 



The fibres, A, by their rigidity, and the fibres, B, 

 by their tenacity, tend to the support of the weight, 

 while the latter fibres interlace with the arciform 

 fibres, F. 



