ARTICULATIONS 337 



intermediate interosseous ligament is small. It passes between 

 the anterior part of the medial surface of the lateral 

 cuneiform and the adjacent surface of the base of the 

 second metatarsal. The lateral interosseous ligament passes 

 from the lateral surface of the lateral cuneiform bone to the 

 medial side of the base of the fourth metatarsal. One inter- 

 osseous ligament, therefore, passes from the medial cuneiform 

 bone and two from the lateral cuneiform ; and of these, two 

 are attached to the. base of the second, and the third to the 

 base of the third metatarsal bone. 



Tarso- metatarsal Articular Surfaces. The manner in 

 which the metatarsus is implanted upon the tarsus should 

 now be examined. The first metatarsal rests against the 

 medial cuneiform, and this joint possesses a separate 

 sy no vial cavity. The second metatarsal rests against the inter- 

 mediate cuneiform, but its base' is grasped by the projecting 

 anterior ends of the medial and lateral cuneiform bones, with 

 both of which it articulates, and with both of which it is con- 

 nected by interosseous ligaments. It is not surprising, there- 

 fore, that this metatarsal should possess so little power of 

 independent movement, and present a difficulty to the surgeon 

 when he is called upon to amputate the fore-part of the foot 

 through the tarso-metatarsal articulation. The third meta- 

 tarsal rests against the lateral cuneiform. The synovial 

 membrane which lines the joints between the tarsus and 

 the second and third metatarsal bones is continuous 

 with that which is present between the medial and inter- 

 mediate cuneiform bones, and through this with the synovial 

 membrane of the naviculo - cuneiform articulation. The 

 bases of the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones are supported by 

 the cuboid, but that of the fourth, by its medial margin, 

 articulates also with the lateral cuneiform. The joint formed 

 between the two lateral metatarsal bones and the tarsus has a 

 capsule and a cavity separate from that of the adjacent joints. 



Intermetatarsal Joints. The bases of the metatarsal 

 bones, with the exception of the first, articulate with each 

 other, and are very firmly bound together. 



The ligaments which connect the bases of the four lateral 

 metatarsal bones are dorsal, plantar, and interosseous. To 

 bring the interosseous ligaments into view it is necessary to 

 divide the dorsal ligaments, and then forcibly separate the 

 bases of the bones from each other. They are strong bands 



VOL. i 22 



