FEMUR. 



159 



is connected with the shaft, than at its 

 summit, where it is attached to the head. 

 It is much broader in the vertical than in 

 the antero-posterior diameter, and much 

 thicker below than above, on account of 

 the greater amount of resistance required 

 in sustaining the weight of the trunk. 

 Its anterior surface is perforated by nu- 

 merous vascular foramina. Its posterior 

 surface is smooth, broader, and more con- 

 cave than the anterior ; and receives to- 

 wards its outer side the attachment of 

 the capsular ligament of the hip. Its 

 superior border is short and thick, bounded 

 externally by the great trochanter, and 

 its surface perforated by large foramina. 

 Its inferior border, long and narrow, 

 curves a little backwards, to terminate at 

 the lesser trochanter. 



The Trochanters (rpo^ow, to run or 

 roll) are prominent processes of bone 

 which afford greater leverage to the 

 muscles which rotate the thigh on its 

 axis. They are two in number, the 

 greater, and the lesser. 



The Great Trochanter is a large 

 irregular quadrilateral eminence, situated 

 at the outer side of the neck, at its junc- 

 tion with the upper part of the shaft. 

 It is directed a little outwards and back- 

 wards ; and, in the adult, is about three 

 quarters of an inch lower than the head. 

 It presents for examination two surfaces, 

 and four borders. 



Its external surface, quadrilateral in 

 form, is broad, rough, convex, and marked 

 by a prominent diagonal line, which ex- 

 tends from the posterior superior to the 

 anterior inferior angle ; this line serves 

 for the attachment of the tendon of the 

 Glutens medius. Above the line is a tri- 

 angular surface, sometimes rough for part 

 of the tendon of the same muscle, some- 

 times smooth for the interposition of a 

 bursa between that tendon and the bone. 

 Below and behind the diagonal line is a 

 smooth triangular surface, over which the 

 tendon of the Gluteus maxim us muscle 

 plays, a bursa being interposed. The in- 

 ternal surface is of much less extent 

 than the external, and presents at its base 

 a deep depression, the digital or trochan- 

 teric fossa, for the attachment of the ten- 

 don of the Obturator externus muscle. 



The superior border is free ; it is thick 

 and irregular, and marked by impressions 

 for the attachment of the Pyriformis 



Fig. 103. Right Femur. Anterior Surface. 



on. far 



LIOAMtMTlIM TtSC 



