TOPOGRAPHY OF THE THORAX AND ABDOMEN 1 3 



diamond-shaped and is located anterior to the lower half 

 of the ninth and the tenth and eleventh vertebrae. It is in- 

 clined to the right of the midline, and is more firmly at- 

 tached to the cartilage of the right seventh rib than to the 

 gladiolus. 



The costochondral articulations from the first to the 

 tenth, lie in a straight line, oblique to the midline, which 

 (in projection) is about 5 cm. from the midline at the first 

 rib and about 13 cm. at the tenth rib. The subcostal angle 

 is about 70**. The sternal ends of the clavicles are in front 

 of the second thoracic intervertebral disc and the upper half 

 of the third vertebra. The scapula extends from the fifth 

 cervical intervertebral disc to the lower part of the seventh 

 thoracic vertebra. The glenoid cavity is opposite the first 

 thoracic vertebra. 



The highest point of the crest of the ilium is at the 

 level of the fourth lumbar vertebra. The tip of the coccyx 

 reaches the level of the middle of the symphysis pubis and 

 the upper border of the great trochanters of the femur. 



The right nipple is over the fifth rib. The left one is 

 partly over the fifth rib and partly over the fourth inter- 

 costal space. Each one is about 11 cm. from the midline. 

 The umbilicus is in front of the upper half of the fourth 

 lumbar vertebra. 



The majority of the texts consulted give insufficient 

 data on the topography of the skeleton for a very satisfactory 

 comparison. I believe, however, that the anterior thoracic 

 wall is relatively low in this subject. The manubrium is more 

 than 1cm. below where it would be if found at the lower part 

 of the second thoracic vertebra, as stated by Cunningham^, 



'Cunningham, D. J., A text book of anatomy. New York, 1903. 



