LUXATION OF THE FEMUR. 
661 
outwards, though the upper part of the limb was adducted. When 
weight was thrown on the diseased limb, or when the right fore foot was 
lifted, the opposite quarter sank until the external angle of the left ilium 
was about 2 inches lower than the right. 
At the point where the lower trochanter should have appeared, a 
depression, about as wide as three fingers, was visible. Beginning at 
the anterior border of the biceps femoris, and running for about 2 inches 
in a horizontal direction, it rose in a slight curve and lost itself at the 
posterior border of the tensor fasciae latae. On careful examination the 
lower trochanter could be detected just in front of the biceps femoris ; a 
weak crepitation sound was produced by moving it. As the horse was 
not brought back after the first examination, its further progress could 
not be observed. 
III.—LUXATION OF THE FEMUR. 
In the horse, the depth of the articular cavity and strength of the 
ligamentum teres tend to prevent displacement of the femur. Bigot and 
others altogether deny that displacement occurs, though recorded cases 
clearly show that it may occasionally happen. It is certain that com¬ 
plete luxation cannot occur without rupture of the ligamentum teres. 
The pubio-femoral ligament derived from the prepubic tendon of the 
abdominal muscles sometimes remains intact after luxation, but the 
capsular ligament and surrounding muscular tissue are always ruptured. 
Incomplete luxation can scarcely occur in the horse, and reported cases 
in the cow are open to doubt. 
In the horse the neck and articular head are more easily broken than 
displaced, but in oxen and other animals the conditions rather favour 
luxation, the articular cavity being flatter, and the ligamentum teres 
weaker. Luxation of the femur occurs in dogs. Fiedler noted a case in 
a foal, where the epiphysis was also separated. 
In making post-mortem examinations of horses, Falke repeatedly found 
the ligamentum teres ruptured. In an old animal bought for dissection, 
which had shown no lameness prior to death, the ligamentum teres was 
absent. The points where the ligament is inserted into the head of the 
femur and acetabulum appeared deepened and smooth, but not a trace of 
the ligament was visible, and the pubio-femoral ligament, though normally 
developed, ended before entering the joint-cavity. The ligamentum trans- 
versum incisurse acetabuli was normally developed; the posterior portions 
of the glutseus parvus were interspersed with cicatrical connective tissue. 
Probably luxation or violent distortion of the coxo-femoral joint had long 
before taken place, causing rupture of the ligamentum teres and of the 
muscle. Falke, experimenting on dead bodies, found that luxation was in 
one instance produced by a pull of 8 cwt., and in another of 16 cwt. In 
each instance the head of the bone and the cotyloid cavity remained intact, 
but the ligamentum teres and the capsular ligament were ruptured. It is 
therefore quite certain that the femur may be luxated without injury to the 
