Chap. Y] 



THE SKELETON 



77 



Femur, or thigh bone. — 



It is the longest, largest, and 

 strongest bone in the skele- 

 ton. The upper extremity 

 of the femur, like that of 

 the humerus, consists of a 

 rounded head joined to the 

 shaft by a constricted neck, 

 and of two eminences, 

 called the greater and lesser 

 trochanters. The head ar- 

 ticulates with the cavity in 

 the hip bone, called the 

 acetabulum. The lower ex- 

 tremity of the femur is 

 larger than the upper, is 

 flattened from before back- 

 wards, and divided into two 

 large eminences or condyles 

 by an intervening notch. 

 It articulates with the tibia 

 and the patella, or knee- 

 cap. In the erect position 

 it is not vertical, being sep- 

 arated from its fellow by 

 a considerable interval, 

 which corresponds to the 

 entire breadth of the pelvis, 



Fig. 57. — The Right Patella. 

 surface. (Gerrish.) 



Condyles 



Fig. 56. — The Right Femur, or Thigh 

 Bone. Anterior view. (Morrow.) 



but the bone inclines gradually down- 

 ward and inward, so as to 

 approach its fellow towards 

 its lower part, in order to 

 bring the knee-joint near the 

 line of gravity of the body. 

 The degree of inclination va- 

 ries in different persons, and 

 is greater in the female than 

 the male, on account of the 

 greater breadth of the pelvis. 

 Patella, or knee-cap. — It 



Ventral 



