THE PHALANGES 17.', 



The third phalanges : Flexor longus digitorum; extensor longiis digitorum. 



Ossification. — Like the phalanges of the fingers, those of the toes ossify from a 

 primary and a secondary nucleus. The centres for the shaft appear during the 

 eightli and tenth ^yeeks of embryonic life; the secondary centres ap])ear as thin 

 scale-like ei)i])hyses at the proximal ends between the fourth and eighth years. 

 They consolidate earlier than the corresponding epiphyses in the fingers. 



tlie ungual phalanges, like those of the fingers, ossify from the tlistal 

 extremity. 



The ayerage dates of ossification of the l)oncs of the foot: — 



Calcaneum Sixth month. 



Epiphysis Tenth year. 



Astragalus Seyenth montli. 



Cuboid At, or near, the ninth month. 



Scaphoid Fourth or fifth year. 



Internal cuneiform Third year. 



Middle cuneiform Fourth year. 



External cuneiform First year. 



Metatarsals Eiglith to ninth week. 



Epiphyses Third year; consolidate at the 



twentieth year. 

 Phalanges Eighth to tenth week. 



Epiphyses Fourth to eighth year; consolidate 



about the eighteenth year. 



