Skip to main content

1738LadmiralJ

 

The first illustration and description of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in an infant. The basis of the drawing was a specimen from the collection of anatomist Frederik Ruysch. Jean l'Admiral characterizes the LCF as a rigid cartilaginous structure (ligamentum nerveo-cartilagineum) with good blood supply. In the description, provided in Latin, French, and Dutch, the author references Frederik Ruysch's monograph «Adversarium anatomico-medico-chirurgicorum decas secunda» (1720), see Tab. III., Fig. III. 


l'Admiral J. Icon membranae vasculosae ad infima acetabuli ossium innominatorum positae, … Amstelodami?, MDCCXXXVIII [1738].

  

Quote p. 2 [Latin]

ICON MEMBRANÆ VASCULOSÆ AD INFIMA ACETABULI OSSIUM INNOMINATORUM Pofitæ, ex puero defumta; ad objectum artificiofiffimè præparatum à CLARISSIMO VIRO FRED. RUYSCHIO, Med: Doct. Anatomes & Botanices Profeffore &c. Delineata, & coloribus diftincta typis impreffa À JOANNE LADMIRAL Proftat AMSTELODAMI Apud JACOBUM GRAAL & HENRICUM DE LETH, Lugduni Batavorum Apud THEODORUM ΗΑΑΚ. MDCCXXXVIII.

IMAGE OF THE VASCULAR MEMBRANE AND INTIMA OF THE ACETABULAR CAVITY OF THE INNOMINATE BONE

Made from the corpse of an infant; skillfully prepared by the famous person FREDERICK RUYSCH, Doctor of Medicine, Professor of Anatomy and Botany, etc. Illustrated and colored by JOHANN ADMIRAL Sold in Amsterdam by JACOB GRAAL AND HENRY DE LETH, in Leiden by THEODORE HAAK. 1738

EXPLICATIO FIGURE

Exhibentis membranulam vafculofam ad infima acetabuli offium innominatorum pofitam; ex Puero defumtam, coloribus iisdem, quibus methodo Ruyfchianâ præparata fuperbit, typis impreffam. 

Res annotatu dignae, funt fequentes.

A. A. A. Portio offium innominatorum, quæ fubjacens hic confunditur mole carneâ rubrâ, a mufculis optimè repletis, hincque fummè rubentibus, relictâ.

B. Acetabulum offium innominatorum, cavo fuo excipiens caput offis femoris, extra fitum hic pofitum, ut interna paterent. 

C. Ligamentum nerveo-cartilagineum, caput offis femoris nectens acetabuli cavo, cinctum undique vafis fanguineis. 

D. Arteriola membranæ ad infima acetabuli fitæ, Hæc membrana, tenuiffimá, contexta ex mirabili vaforum fanguineorum apparatu, non obducit totum acetabulum, fed tantum ejus partem: locum enim habet extra fphæricam acetabuli cavitatem, femoris capiti globofo congruentem, ad infima acetabuli quafi in diverticulo, ita ut caput offis femoris, mobile intra dictam cavitatem, nullâ parte fuæ fuperficiei unquam poffit attingere hanc membranulam, ejusque vafoula, hinc præcavetur attritus perpetuus membranæ, & deftructio tenellorum horum vaforum, unde dolores, inflammationes, fuppurationes, aliaque mala sequerentur, uti eleganter obfervavit Celeberrimus Ruyfchins in Adverfariorum decade fecundâ. 

E. Lineæ, denotantes compofitionem acetabuli extribas offibus, nempe ilii, ifchii, & pubis, quæ juncta fimul conftituunt dic tum acetabulum, in adultis verò hæc apparentia difparet. 

F. Caput offis femoris. 

G. Collum offis femoris. 

H. Trochanter majors

I. Inferior femoris pars abfciffa. 

* Vafa fanguinea per femur diftributa.

 

EXPLANATION OF THE IMAGE

Representing the vascular membrane located in the lower part of the acetabulum of the nameless bone of the pelvis; made from the corpse of an infant, colored with the same hues as per Ruysch's method, and printed in typography. 

The noteworthy details are as follows: 

A. A. A. The portion of the nameless bone, which here blends with the red fleshy mass, well filled with muscles, and hence very red. 

B. The acetabulum of the nameless bone, accommodating the head of the femur, placed here externally to provide access to the internals. 

C. The rigid-cartilaginous ligament connecting the head of the femur to the acetabulum of the pelvis, surrounded by vessels. 

D. The arterial network of the membrane in the lower part of the acetabulum. This membrane, very thin and composed of an astonishing system of vessels, does not cover the entire acetabulum but only a portion of it: it is situated outside the spherical cavity of the acetabulum, in contact with the head of the femur at its lower part, in a diverticulum of the acetabulum, so that the head of the femur, moving within this cavity, never touches this membrane and its vessels, thus preventing constant friction of the membrane and destruction of delicate vessels, which could lead to pain, inflammation, suppuration, and other discomforts, as clearly noted by the renowned Ruysch in the second decade of his Notes. 

E. Lines denoting the structure of the acetabulum from the external bones: ilium, ischium, and pubis, which together constitute the said acetabulum, but in adults, these features disappear. 

F. Head of the femur. 

G. Neck of the femur. 

H. Greater trochanter of the femur. 

I. Severed lower part of the thigh. 

* Vascular network distributed throughout the thigh.

Quote p. 3 [French]

EXPLICATION DE LA FIGURE

Reprefentant la petite Membrane vafculeufe, fitué dans la partie d'en bas de la Cavité des Os innominé, tiré d'un pitit Garçon, imprimé avec la preffe & les mêmes Couleures, dont l'objet, (etant preparé felon l'Art de Monfieur Ruyfch) eft orné. 

Les Chofes les plus remarquables font les fuivantes. 

A.A.A. Une partie des Os innominé, la quelle etant au deffous, eft embaraffé par un Mas de Chair, le quel eft un Refte des Muscles tres-bien Injecté, & qui pour cette Raifon paroit Rouge. 

B. La pitite cavité des os innominé recevant dans fa Concavité la tête de L'os femur, étant mis hors de fa place, afin que l'interieure pareffe Clairement. 

C. La bande nerveufe & Cartilageufe, qui attache le chef de l'os femur à la fusdite cavité, entouré des touts cotéz par des Vaiffeaux. 

D. Les petites Arteres de la membrane, fitué au fond de la cavité. Cette tres-fine membrane compofé des Vaiffeaux fanguinaire, les site quelles pareffent d'une maniere Merveilleufe, ne couvre pas la cavite entierement, mais feulement en partie: Car elle eft placé dans la cavité hors de la concavité Circulaire, & s'emboite avec la Tête fpherique de l'os femur au fond de la cavité, comme dans une retraite, en forte que la tête de l'os femur, etant mobile dans la fusdite concavité, jamais aucune partie des fa Superficie peut toucher cette Membrane, ni aucun de ces vaiffeaux. Ainfi eft prevenu un frottément continuelle de la petite membrane, & un brisement des ces tendre Vaiffeaux, d'où il fanfaivroit des Douleurs, inflammations, putrefactions & autres fortes d'accidents, comme les tres-fameux Proff. Ruifch a remarqué exactement, dans la deuxiême partie des fes dix Annotations.

E. Lignes, defignant une ajuitement de la cavité confistant en trois Os, nommément l'os Ilion, l'os Ifchion & l'os Pubis, les quelles, étant joint ensemble, forme la cavité; mais aux perfonnes d'ages, il paroit n'être que d'un Os fimple. 

F. Le Chef de l'os femur.

G. Le Cou de l'os femur. 

H. Le Trochanter Major. 

I. La Partie d'en bas de l'os femur, coupée. 

* Les Vaifleaux fanguinaire difperfé par l'os femur.

EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURE

Depicting a small vascular membrane situated at the bottom of the cavity of the innominate bone, taken from the cadaver of a young boy, printed using the same methods and colors commonly employed in Ruysch's method. 

The most notable details are as follows: 

A. A. A. Part of the innominate bone, located below, encased in a mass of flesh, remnants of muscles, very well injected and thus appearing red. 

B. The small cavity of the innominate bone, in which the head of the femur is housed, displaced from its position to allow for clear visibility of the interior. 

C. The tough cartilaginous bundle connecting the head of the femur to the cavity of the innominate bone, surrounded on all sides by vessels. 

D. The small arteries of the membrane, located at the bottom of the cavity. This very thin membrane, composed of vessels arranged wonderfully, does not cover the entire cavity, only a part of it: it is situated in the cavity outside the spherical hollow of it, connecting with the spherical head of the femur at the bottom of the cavity, almost like in a separate chamber, so that the head of the femur, moving within this cavity, never comes into contact with this membrane or its vessels, thereby preventing constant friction of the membrane and the destruction of its delicate vessels, which could lead to pain, inflammation, suppuration, and other discomforts, as extensively noted by the renowned professor Ruysch in the second part of his ten annotations. 

E. Lines indicating the structure of the cavity consisting of three bones, namely the ilium, ischium, and pubis, joined together to form the said cavity, but in adults, these features disappear. 

F. Head of the femur. 

G. Neck of the femur. 

H. Greater trochanter of the femur. 

I. Severed lower part of the femur. 

* Blood vessels distributed throughout the femur.

Quote p. 4 [Dutch]

UYTLEGGING van de AFBEELDING. 

Vertonende het vaatagtige vliesje, leggende in 't onderfte gedeelte van de pan van de ongenaamde beenderen, genomen uyt een Jongetje, door de Pers gedrukt met dezelfde couleuren, daar het voorwerp, volgens de Ruyffiaanfche konft bereit zynde, mede pronkt. 

De merkwaardigfte zaken zyn de volgende 

A. A. A. Een gedeelte van de ongenaamde beenderen, 't welk, onderleggende, alhier belemmert wort door een vleezige klomp, van de zeer wel opgevulde, en daarom zeer root zich vertonende, fpieren overgebleven. 

B. Het pannetje van de ongenaamde beenderen, in zyne holligheit ontfangende het hooft van 't dybeen, alhier buyten zyn plaats geftelt, op dat het inwendige klaar blyken zoude. 

C. De Zenuwagtige kraakbeenige bant, het hooft van 't dybeen hegtende aan de gemelde pan, van alle kanten met vaten omringt. 

D. De flagadertjes van 't vlies in't onderfte van de pan gelegen. Dit zeer dunne vliesje, geweven uyt een wonderbaarlyke verfchyning van bloetvaten, bekleet de gehele pan niet, alleenlyk voor een gedeelte: want het heeft zyn plaats in de pan buyten de kringronde holligheit van dezelve, paffende met het bolronde hooft van 't dybeen, onder in de pan als in een vertrekje gelegen, zo dat het hooft van 't dybeen, beweegbaar binnen de gezegde holligheit, nooit met eenig gedeelte van zyne oppervlakte dit vlies en deszelfs vaatjes kan aanraken, waardoor voorgekomen wort een geftadige vryving van 't vliesje, en een verbryzeling van deze tedere vaatjes, uyt welke pynen, ontstekingen, veretteringen, en andere ongemakken zoude volgen, gelykerwys de zeer Beroemde Ruysch in 't tweede tiental van zyne Aantekeningen naauwkeurig aangemerkt heeft. 

E. Strepen, betekenende een t'zamenstelling van de pan uyt drie beenderen, namentlyk het darm, zit of heupe, en 't fchaambeen, dewelke vereenigt zynde t'zamen deze pan uytmaken; maar in bejaarde menfchen fchynt dezelve uyt een enkel been te beftaan. 

F. Het hooft van 't dybeen. 

G. De hals van 't dybeen. 

H. De grote drayer. 

I. Het onderfte gedeelte van 't dybeen, afgefneden. 

* De bloedvaten door 't dybeen verfpreit.

EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURE. 

The illustration depicts a vascular membrane located in the lower part of the acetabulum of the innominate bones, taken from the body of a boy, printed using the same colors commonly used in the Ruysch method. 

The most remarkable points are as follows: 

A. A. A. A portion of the innominate bones, situated below, is encased in a mass of muscles, remnants of which are very well infused and therefore appear very red. 

B. The cavity of the innominate bones, receiving the head of the femur, displaced from its position to make the interior clear. 

C. Neurocartilaginous ligament connecting the head of the femur with the indicated cavity, surrounded by vessels on all sides. 

D. The small arteries of the membrane, located at the bottom of the cavity. This very thin membrane, composed of vessels arranged wonderfully, does not cover the entire cavity, only a part of it: it is situated in the cavity outside the spherical hollow of it, connecting with the spherical head of the femur at the bottom of the cavity, almost like in a separate chamber, so that the head of the femur, moving within this cavity, never comes into contact with this membrane or its vessels, thereby preventing constant friction of the membrane and the destruction of its delicate vessels, which could lead to pain, inflammation, suppuration, and other discomforts, as extensively noted by the renowned professor Ruysch in the second part of his ten annotations. 

E. Lines denoting the composition of the cavity from three bones, namely the ilium, ischium, and pubis, joined together to form this cavity; however, in adults, these features disappear. 

F. The head of the femur. 

G. The neck of the femur. 

H. The greater trochanter. 

I. The severed lower part of the femur. 

* Blood vessels distributed throughout the femur. 

 


External links

l'Admiral J. Icon membranae vasculosae ad infima acetabuli ossium innominatorum positae, … Amstelodami?, MDCCXXXVIII [1738]. [wellcomecollection.org , archive.org , books.google] 

Authors & Affiliations 

Joanne Ladmiral (1698/99-1773) was a painter, engraver, and book illustrator from the northern Netherlands. [wikipedia.org , portal.dnb.de] 

Jan l'Admiral
 Self-portrait of the artist (1738-1773);
original in the 
wikimedia.org collection (CC0 – Public Domain, color correction).

Frederik Ruysch (1638–1731) was a Dutch botanist and anatomist, a praelector of the Amsterdam surgeon's guild, a professor of botany in the Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam. [wikipedia.org]

Portrait of Frederik Ruysch (1694)
The author of the image is Juriaen Poo;
original in the 
wikipedia.org collection (CC0 – Public Domain, color correction)


Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, anatomy, child, image, blood supply, vascularization

                                                                     

NB! Fair practice / use: copied for the purposes of criticism, review, comment, research and private study in accordance with Copyright Laws of the US: 17 U.S.C. §107; Copyright Law of the EU: Dir. 2001/29/EC, art.5/3a,d; Copyright Law of the RU: ГК РФ ст.1274/1.1-2,7


BLOG CONTENT

IMAGES AND VIDEOS

SCIENTIFIC SYNONYMS


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Catalog. LCF of Extinct Species

Discussion of the LCF and morphological signs of its existence in extinct species.   Funston, G. F. (2024). Osteology of the two-fingered oviraptorid Oksoko avarsan (Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlae011. [ academic.oup.com ] Hafed, A. B., Koretsky, I. A., Nance, J. R., Koper, L., & Rahmat, S. J. (2024). New Neogene fossil phocid postcranial material from the Atlantic (USA). Historical Biology, 1-20. [ tandfonline.com ] Kuznetsov, A. N., & Sennikov, A. G. (2000). On the function of a perforated acetabulum in archosaurs and birds. PALEONTOLOGICAL JOURNAL C/C OF PALEONTOLOGICHESKII ZHURNAL, 34(4), 439-448. [ researchgate.net ] Romer, A. S. (1922). The locomotor apparatus of certain primitive and mammal-like reptiles. Bulletin of the AMNH; v. 46, article 10. [ digitallibrary.amnh.org  ,  digitallibrary.amnh.org(PDF) ]    Słowiak, J., Brusatte, S. L., & Szczygielski, T. (2024). Reassessment of the enigmati...

LCF in 2025 (November)

  LCF in 2025 ( November )   (Quotes from articles and books published in  October  2025 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris)   Awad, A., Rizk, A., ElAlfy, M., Hamed, M., Abdelghany, A. M., Mosbah, E., ... & Karrouf, G. (2025). Synergistic Effects of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles and Platelet Rich Fibrin on Femoral Head Avascular Necrosis Repair in a Rat Model.  Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials ,  113 (11), e35672.    [i]    onlinelibrary.wiley.com   Loughzail, M. R., Aguenaou, O., Fekhaoui, M. R., Mekkaoui, J., Bassir, R. A., Boufettal, M., ... & Lamrani, M. O. (2025). Posterior Fracture–Dislocation of the Femoral Head: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.  Sch J Med Case Rep ,  10 , 2483-2486.     [ii]    saspublishers.com  ,  saspublishers.com   Vertesich, K., Noebauer-Huhmann, I. M., Schreiner, M., Schneider, E., Willegger,...

2025ChenJH_AcklandD

  The article by Chen JH, Al’Khafaji I, Ernstbrunner L, O’Donnell J, Ackland D. Joint contact behavior in the native, ligamentum teres deficient and surgically reconstructed hip: A biomechanics study on the anatomically normal hip (2025). The authors experimentally demonstrated the role of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in unloading the upper sector of the acetabulum and the femoral head. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 2025ChenJH_AcklandD . Joint contact behavior in the native, ligamentum teres deficient and surgically reconstructed hip: A biomechanics study on the anatomically normal hip By  Chen JH, Al’Khafaji I, Ernstbrunner L, O’Donnell J, Ackland D.     CONTENT [i]   Abstract [ii]   Introduction [iii]   Materials and methods [iv]   Results [v]   Discussion and Conclusion [vi]   References [vii]   Application [i]   Abstract Background The ligamentum teres is known to contribute to hip joint st...

1816MeckelJF

    The author discusses the anatomy and function of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF), and also identifies one of the reasons for its damage. The translation was done in collaboration with ChatGPT 3.5.   Meckel JF. Handbuch der menschlichen Anatomie. Zweiter Band. Besondere Anatomie. Halle, Berlin: Buchhandlung des Hallischen Waisenhauses, 1816. [fragment] Quote p p . 3 65 -366 c. Runds band §. 948. Gerade vor dem Theile der Synovialhaut, welcher auf der Lücke unter dem brückenförmigen Theile der Knorpellippe liegt, entspringt ein, ungefähr einen Zoll langes, sehr länglichviereckiges Band, das runde Band des Oberschenkels (Ligamentum ossis femoris teres s. rotundum) welches, an beiden Enden etwas ausgebreitet, sich mit seis nem äußern an die Bertiefung im Kopfe des Oberschenkels beines heftet und zu noch größerer Befestigung deffelben beiträgt. Es besteht aus longitudinalen Fasern, welche sich an das obere un...

BIBLICAL DAMAGE

  Biblical damage (Artists and sculptors on the LCF damage described in the Bible:  painting, sculpture, icon, fresco, engraving…)     386Brescia_Casket  Bas-relief. Drawing depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury. 6c.Vienna_Genesis   Miniature. Drawing depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury. 10c.Cross  Bas-relief. Drawing depi cting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury.  1000Jacob&Archangel  Fresco. Drawing depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury.  1050Aelfric     Drawing depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury.  1140St.Marie-Madeleine   Capital. Drawing depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury.  1143 Palantine_Chapel   Mosaic . Drawing depicting the circumstances and mechanism of the LCF injury. 1213L’histoire_ancienne.   M iniature . Drawing depicting the circumstances and mecha...

1832MeckelJF

  Fragments of the book Meckel JF. Manual of general, descriptive, and pathological anatomy (1832) dedicated to ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The author briefly discusses abnormalities of the LCF and its distal insertion. Quote p. 257 § 308. Among the deviations from the normal state, primitive deviations of the external form are rare, and usually attend anomalies of the other tissues. Among these we arrange, for instance, the absence of the tendons of the abdominal muscles, that of the ligaments of the vertebral column, and that of the dura mater of the brain and spinal marrow, &c., in a congenital fissure of the abdomen, of the vertebral column, and of the skull, and that of the tendons and the muscles of a finger, when the finger itself is wanting. But the fibrous organs are seldom deficient, when the other tissues with which they combine to form a part are present — for instance, the tendon alone of a muscle is rarely absent, or the tunica sclerotica, when the othe...

1884SuttonJB

  Fragments from the article Sutton JB. Ligaments: Their Nature and Morphology (1884). The author discovered that in the ostrich the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) was not continuous with the ambiens muscle, but with a muscular slip which ran parallel with the-muscle, and ended in the adductor mass. This publication develops the theme of article 1883SuttonJB .   Quote pp. 228-229 I must now pass on to consider certain ligaments of the appendicular skeleton, commencing with some additional remarks on the ligamentum teres. The Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, vol. xvii January 1883, contains a short article on the ligamentum teres, in which I have endeavoured to point out that many ligaments are the tender of muscles which were originally in relation with the joint; but the parent muscle has either formed new attachments or become obsolete, whilst the tendon remains as a passive element in the articulation. In addition to the ligamentum teres the following structures ...

1853KnoxR

  We publish selected quotations about ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) from Knox  R.  Manual of Human Anatomy (1853). The author points out that LCF is a thick and dense bundle of fibers. It is attached to the edges of the acetabular notch and intertwined with the fibers of the fibrocartilaginous ring of the acetabulum. Robert Knox writes: « The functions of the round ligament have not been satisfactorily determined.» Quote p. 142 Fig. 104. - This instructive section of the hip-joint requires little or no explanation. - d points to the superior part of the capsular ligament. Fig. 105. - Capsular ligament of the hip-joint; also Poupart's ligament. - a , the capsular ligament; b , the oblique, or accessory ligament of the joint; d , attachment of the external pillar of Poupart's ligament to the tubercle of the pubis; e , deep structures immediately behind that portion of Poupart's ligament, called the ligament of Gimbernat; c , ligamentum obturatorium.   Quo...

The Emergence of Life

THE EMERGENCE OF LIFE According to our definition, life is a way of existence of material objects capable of regulating the level of average daily mechanical stress and reproducing similar entities (2004 Архипов - БалтийскийСВ ). As can be seen, in the given definition there is no reference to protein bodies and organic compounds. Life as a special qualitative state of matter is fundamentally possible not only on the basis of carbon. At the same time, living systems with a different chemistry are unknown, as are extraterrestrial beings. The oldest potentially biogenic carbon on our planet appeared 4.10±0.01 billion years ago, and the simplest living beings appeared 4.1-3.8 billion years ago (2015BellEA_MaoWL). The split of single-celled, anucleate forms of prokaryotes (Procaryota) into bacteria (Eubacteria) and archaea (Archaebacteria) occurred about 4.0 billion years ago (2002HedgesSB). The oldest stromatolites, which are the remains of cyanobacterial communities (Cyanobacteria), bega...

2025VertesichK_ChiariC

   Content [i]   Annotation [ii]   Original text (in  German) [iii]   References [iv]   Source  &  links [v]   Notes [vi]   Authors & Affiliations [vii]   Keywords [i]   Annotation Fragments from the article: Vertesich K, Noebauer-Huhmann IM, Schreiner M, Schneider E, Willegger M, Böhler C, Windhager R, Chiari C. The position of the femoral fovea can indicate hip instability and highly correlates with lesions of the ligamentum teres: an observational study (2025). The authors discuss the diagnosis of pathology of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) based on radiological & MRI data. The text in Russian is available at the following link: 2025VertesichK_ChiariC . [ii]   Original text (in   German)   The position of the femoral fovea can indicate hip instability and highly correlates with lesions of the ligamentum teres: an observational study Klemens Vertesich, Iris-Melanie Noebauer-Huhmann, Marku...