186 



THE ARTICULATIONS OF THE LOWER LIMB. 



ANT. CRUC. L1CT. 

 INT. FIBRO-C 



EXT. FIBRO-CART. 



INT. FIBRO-CART. 



Fig. 210. UPPER EXTREMITY OP THE RIGHT TIBIA, 

 FROM ABOVE. (Drawn by T. W. P. Lawrence.) f 



In front of .the outer tubercle of the spine, and 

 immediately external to the anterior attachment of 

 the external semilunar fibro-cartilage, is seen the 

 small facet which comes into contact with the outer 

 condyle of the femur in extension of the knee-joint. 



to the inner edge of the hollow behind 

 the spine, in front of the posterior crucial 

 ligament. 



The external semilunar fibro-car- 

 tilage forms nearly a complete circle ; its 

 two extremities are fixed, one in front of, 

 the other between the points of the spine 

 of the tibia, and are so close at their in- 

 sertion that they may be said to be interposed between the attachments of the 

 internal semilunar plate. Its external border is in contact behind with the tendon of 



Fig. 211. VlEW OP THE SEMILUNAR FIBRO-CARTILAGES OP THE 

 RIGHT KNEE-JOINT, FROM ABOVE, WITH THE CRUCIAL LIGA- 

 MENTS DIVIDED, AND THE LIGAMENTUM PATELLA TURNED 



FORWARDS. (Allen Thomson.) i 



1, ligamentum patellae ; 2, inner, 3, outer fibro-cartilage ; 



4, placed on the tibia in front of the transverse ligament ; 



5, cut end of the anterior crucial ligament ; 6, cut end of the 

 posterior crucial ligament, from which a band is seen descend- 

 ing to the outer fibre-cartilage ; 6', tibial attachment of the 

 posterior crucial ligament ; 7, head of the fibula ; 8, cartilage- 

 covered surface of the tibia, which extends for some way 



downwards towards the tibio-fibular articulation. 



Fig. 212. SAGITTAL SECTION OF THE LEFT KNEE-JOINT, SEEN 



FROM THE OUTER OR LEFT SIDE. (Allen Thomson.) | 



The section is made somewhat obliquely a little to the outside 

 of the middle, so as to preserve entire the crucial ligaments 

 with their attachments : it is from a young subject of eighteen 

 or nineteen years. 1,1, the upper portion of the synovial cavity 

 extending upwards between the extensor tendon and the femur ; 

 1', an aperture made into the posterior portion of the synovial 

 cavity ; 2, 2', mucous ligament ; 3, ligamentum patellae ; 2', 3, 

 infrapatellar synovial fatty cushion ; 4, bursa above the inser- 

 tion of the ligamentum patellae into the tubercle of the tibia ; 

 5, 5', anterior crucial ligament ; 5', points also to the internal 

 semilunar fibro-cartilage within the joint ; 6, lower part of the 

 posterior crucial ligament, the upper part of which is towards 

 2 ; 6', the accessory band joining the external semilunar fibro- 

 cartilage, which is cut short ; 7, spine of the tibia. 



the popliteus muscle, and is therefore separated by 

 this from the fibrous capsule. From the posterior 

 extremity of this fibro-cartilage a ligamentous band 

 ascends, to be attached to the inner condyle of the 

 femur in connection, either in front or behind, with 

 the posterior crucial ligament. 



Transverse ligament. Towards the front of 

 the joint the convex borders of the semilunar fibro- 

 cartilages are connected by a slight transverse 

 band which receives this name. Its thickness varies 

 much in different bodies, and it is sometimes wanting. 



