Buckmaster's Elements of animal physiology / by John Angell.

  • Angell, John
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Buckmaster's Elements of animal physiology / by John Angell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    290/384 (page 278)
    by joints, which permit of a backward and forward motion only. The Bones of the Lower Extremities comprise two fetnurs, or thigh-bones ; two patellcB, or knee-pans ; two tibia, or shin-bones; two fibulce, or splint-bones; seven tarsi, or ankle- bones ; five metatarsi, or instep-bones; and the fourteen pha- langes of the toes. The Os Femoris, femur, or thigh-bone, is the Jio77iologue of —that is, corresponds in stnicturesNx'Ca.—the humerus in the arms, and is the largest and strongest bone in the body. (See Fig. 64.) It has a head, 7ieck, shaft, and lower extremity, with two coTt- dyles. The upper end of the shaft is furnished with two large bony protuberances, termed respectively the g7xater and less trocha7iters. > The head of the femur is large and globular, and contains a depression near its centre for the insertion of Iiga7/ie7ttu77i teres, by which it is attached to the acetabulu/71 in the pelvis. The great trocha7iter (from Gr., trecho, I run) is a very large prominence on the outer side of the Tieck and shaft, which serves for the attachment of the ghiteus and other muscles which pull the leg. The lesser trocha7iter is a similar but smaller eminence on the inner side of the 7ieck and shaft, which sei'ves a similar purpose. The Patella, or knee-pan, is a flat triangidar bone, which is situated in front of and protects the knee-joint. It is inserted in the tC7tdo7t of the muscles, modifying their direction and increas- ing their power. It is usually classed as one of the sesa//ioid bones, belonging to the muscular or tendmons system. The Tibia, or shin-bone, is a long, prismoidal, nearly vertical bone, situated at the front and i7i7ter side of the leg. (See Fig. 65.) Its upper extremity is very much expanded, to afford the surface necessary for its articulation with the co7tdyles of the fe77tur; the lower extremity of the shaft also expands consider- ably, though in a less degree, to afford the surface necessary for its attachment to the astragalus, one of the bones of the ankle. The crest or prominence in front of the tibia forms the shm. It is somewhat sharp and angular, and hence causes the pain ex- perienced from a blow in this region of the leg. The tibia supports the weight of the body. TI16 Fibula (ft., fibula, a buckle, the buckle of the garter being usually worn over its head), splint-bone, or small bone of the leg, is a long slender bone, parallel to the tibia, to the upper and lower extremities of which it is immoveably fixed. (See Fig.