146 



Anatomy of Skeleton 



this will indicate the level of the synovial reflection on the back of the neck. The 



interval between the line and the small trochanter affords insertion to muscular fibres 



of Iliacus. 



The line appears at first sight continuous with the spiral line made by the 



aponeurotic origin of Vastus internus on the inner side of the shaft, but closer examina- 

 tion will show that this continuity is only along the 

 outermost part of the intertrochanteric ridge : here 

 the Vastus arises, while the remainder of the ridge 

 is purely ligamentous in origin. 



The Shaft. 



The shaft is covered, except on the linea aspera, 

 by the extensors. The Crureus arises from the front 

 surface for its upper half or a little more, extending 

 up to the front of the trochanter : its origin does not 

 transgress the inner margin, but extends obliquely 

 over the outer margin, an inch or more below the 

 trochanter, to blend with the origin of Vastus externus 

 (Fig. 1 1 8). Vastus externus arises as shown in 

 Fig. 120 : its upper fibres are from the front of the 

 great trochanter, and, being aponeurotic, lie as an 

 apparently free edge on the Crureus, although the 

 two muscles are blended at their origins. Vastus 

 internus has a linear origin, therefore, by aponeurosis, 

 from the line shown in Fig. 119, but this only 

 extends as far as the adductor opening : below this 

 level the muscle has origin from the front of the 

 tendon of Adductor magnus, and not from the 

 tone. Thus the inner side of the shaft affords 

 attachment to no muscle, but is covered by the 

 Vastus internus. The upper fibres of the muscle are 

 blended close to the anterior intertrochanteric line 

 with those of the Crureus, wherefore these two 

 muscles, though otherwise separated at their origins, 

 FIG. 119. Right femur from the have more or less the superficial appearance of 



inner side, with Adductor magnus ,. 



turned back to show the linear forming One mass. 



origin of Vastus internus from Subcrureus arises from the inner part of the 



spiral line, inner lip of linea aspera , , . . , , r. i ji-ir.i 



and tendon of magnus. Thus front surface of the shaft about two thirds of the way 



the muscle lies on inner surface, down ; its nerve therefore lies on the bone above this 



A., of shaft, but does not arise 



from it. Notice the extent of level. 



Crureus, the origin of Subcrureus, A bursa is under the lower end of Crureus in 



and the plane of the deep branch .... 



of the anast. magna artery. young subjects, joining later with the synovial cavity 



and so giving it the extension upwards that charac- 

 terises it : the bursa occasionally remains distinct from the joint. 



Region of Linea Aspera (Fig. 120). 



Examine and compare the gluteal ridge in different bones : in some it is a pro- 

 minent crest, in others only a broad rough area, and in others again it is represented 

 by a rough fossa (fossa hypo-irochanterica) , or these different aspects may be more 

 or less combined in one specimen. Rarely there may be a traction epiphysis forming 



In tern ui 



