1762MorgagniJB

Fragments from the book Morgagni GB. Adversaria anatomica omnia (1762). The author criticizes the «Theatrum Anatomicum» written by Jean-Jacques Manget (1717) and mentions the properties and localization of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF).

Quote p. 51

XXXVIII. Femoris caput suo acetabulo affigi, scribis, primum membranaceum agnosco, quod vaginæ instar totam femoris cervicem obducens, hanc quoque, non sine magna utilitate, intra articuli productam caveam includit. Teres quoque ligamentum illud brevius, & internum agnosco. Illud vero cartilagineum quod secundo loco a duobus prioribus distinctum memoras, neque ipse agnosco, neque alios agnoscere Anatomicos, invenio etiam qui de Ligamentis diligentius scripsere. Num illud vis additamentum marginis acetabuli, natura inter cartilaginem & ligamentum media, atque intra membranacei vinculi vaginam libere inclusum? Sed illud, acetabuli cujus cartilagineum supercilium vocant, additamentum et, non capitis femoris cum acetabulo ligamentum. Hæc una ex illis erat rebus quas majoris perspicuitatis causa explicare debebas, nisi, quod Bidlous quoque fecerat, ita properanter hæc scripsisses, ut vel insignem illum qui inter duo femoris inferiora capita polterius est, sinum, tuto illac transmittendis majoribus cruris vasis & nervis excavatum, indicare prætermiseris.

Translation

[Eng]

XXXVIII. You write that the head of the femur is attached to the acetabulum. Firstly, I acknowledge the membranous connection, which, like a sheath, covers the entire neck of the femur and, also including this within the cavity of the joint, is of great utility. I also acknowledge that the round ligament is short and located internally. However, that cartilaginous ligament which you mention secondly, distinct from the two previous ones, I neither acknowledge myself nor find other anatomists acknowledging it, among those who have written more diligently about ligaments. Perhaps you mean the additional part of the acetabular margin, situated between the cartilage and the ligament, freely included within the sheath of the membranous ligament? But that is called the additional part of the cartilaginous margin of the acetabulum, not a ligament of the femoral head with the acetabulum. This was one of the things you should have explained for greater clarity, unless, as Bidloo also did, you wrote this so hastily that you even failed to mention the notable sinus located between the two lower heads of the femur, excavated for the safe passage of the larger vessels and nerves of the leg.

External links

Morgagni GB. Adversaria anatomica omnia... Venetiis: Ex Typ. Remondiniana, MDCCLXII [1762]. [books.google]

Authors & Affiliations

Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682-1771) was an Italian anatomist, professor of anatomy at the University of Padua. [wikipedia.org]

Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1762)
Line engraving by C. Orazio, original in the wellcomecollection.org collection
(CC0 – Public Domain, retouching, color correction)

Keywords

ligamentum capitis femoris, ligamentum teres, ligament of head of femur, anatomy, properties

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

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MORPHOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY

Comments

1902RilkeRM

Works of art that mention ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) are extremely rare. One such work is the poem «Der Schauende» ( He Who Visions, The Seer, The Man Watching, The Beholder) b y Rainer Rilke. Below is the original text in German. Der Schauende 1. Ich sehe den Bäumen die Stürme an, die aus laugewordenen Tagen an meine ängstlichen Fenster schlagen, und höre die Fernen Dinge sagen, die ich nicht ohne Freund ertragen, nicht ohne Schwester lieben kann. 2. Da geht der Sturm, ein Umgestalter, geht durch den Wald und durch die Zeit, und alles ist wie ohne Alter: die Landschaft, wie ein Vers im Psalter, ist Ernst und Wucht und Ewigkeit. 3. Wie ist das klein, womit wir ringen, was mit uns ringt, wie ist das groß; ließen wir, ähnlicher den Dingen, uns so vom großen Sturm bezwingen, - wir würden weit und namenlos. 4. Was wir besiegen, ist das Kleine, und der Erfolg selbst macht uns klein. Das Ewige und Ungemeine will nicht von uns gebogen sein. Das ist der Enge...

1730CheseldenW

Fragments from the book Cheselden W. The Anatomy of the Human Body (1730). The author draws attention to the role of ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) in counteracting hip dislocation and maintaining the femoral head in the joint. The work notes that the LCF is “powerful” and “short” - “about two inches” i.e. approximately 5 cm! This error will be corrected in a subsequent treatise ( 1733CheseldenW ) . Quote pp. 43 - 44 Chap. VII. Of the Ligaments At the upper part of the articulation of the Os Femoris and Os Innominatum, is a strong ligament of great consequence; it contributing very much to preserve that joint from being luxated by the weight of the body. And from the lower edge of the Acetabulum of the Os Innominatum, runs a ligament to the middle of the head of the Os Femoris, about two inches long (which the Motion in this joint requires) called Teres, or Rotundum, whose use is to prevent the Os Femoris from being luxated upwards, but down wards it will le...

LCF in 2026 (May)

LCF in 2026 (May ) (Quotes from articles and books published in May 2026 mentioning the ligamentum capitis femoris) Kim, P. S., Kang, C., Lee, J. K., & Hwang, J. M. (2026). Hip arthroscopy to treat symptomatic paralabral cysts: a retrospective analysis of clinical outcomes. Arthroscopy and Orthopedic Sports Medicine , 13 (1), 27-34. [i] e-aosm.org Ko, H. Y. (2026). Vascular Anatomy of the Extremities and Lungs. In Practical Functional Anatomy for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Guide for Physiatrists and Rehabilitation Specialists (pp. 191-223). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore. [ii] link.springer.com Aiba, H., Yamaguchi, M., Kimura, H., & Murakami, H. (2026). Advances in limb-salvage surgery and reconstruction for pediatric bone and soft tissue tumors. Frontiers in Pediatrics , 14 , 1817788. [iii] pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Bajwa, A., Villar, R., ...

1851HyrtlJ

The author expresses a classic view on the functions of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF): a conductor of blood vessels and a limiter of adduction of the femur. J. Hyrtl believed that it was impossible to completely dislocate the hip without tearing the LCF. Hyrtl J. Lehrbuch der Anatomie des Menschen, mit Rücksicht auf physiologische Begründung und praktische Anwendung. Wien: W. Braumüller, 1851. [fragment] Quote p. 265 In der Höhle des Gelenks liegt das runde Band des Schenkelkopfes (Lig. teres), welches an der Incisura acetabuli entspringt, und bei richtiger Neigung des Beckens, senkrecht zur Grube des Schenkelkopfes aufsteigt. Es beschränkt dieses Band die Zuziehung des Schenkels, und schreibt zugleich den durch die Incisura acetabuli eindringenden Blutgefässen den Weg vor, den sie zum Oberschenkelkopfe zu nehmen haben. Da das Band, wenn es in die Höhle des Gelenkes vorragen würde, durch Reibung viel zu leiden hätte, so...

1626BartholinC

Fragment from the book Bartholin C. Anatomicae Institutiones Corporis Humani (1626). The author describes the anatomy, topography, geometric and mechanical properties of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). The term «terete» (rounded) is used to indicate its geometry. The term «cartilagine» (cartilaginous) is used to describe the hardness of the LCF, and the analogy of «nervus esset cartilaginosus» (like a cartilaginous sinew) is given. Similar terminological elements are present in the works of Galen of Pergamon and Theophilus Protospatharius ( 2020ArkhipovSV_ProlyginaIV ). See the previous edition at the link: 1611BartholinC Quote p. 409 [Lat] Cap. XXI. DE OSSIBUS TOTIUS PEDIS. … I. Est caput maximum & rotundum, ex appendice factum, quod in coxendicis acetabulum inseritur, & duplici ligamento cum coxendice nectitur: uno communi, lato, membraneo, sed satis crasso, orbiculatum articulum ambiente; altero terete, quasi cartilagine (ac si nervus esset cart...

1905BardeenCR

An excerpt from the article by Bardeen CR. Studies of the development of the human skeleton (1905). The author briefly discusses the emergence of the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). Quote p. 287 The hip-joint is represented at first by a dense mass of scleroblastema, Fig. 55. The development of the acetabulum by ingrowth and fusion of processes from the iliac, ischial and pubic cartilages has already been described. The cartilagenous joint-cavity is at first quite shallow, Fig. 56. But extension of cartilage into the blastemal tissue which passes from the pelvis over the head of the femur serves greatly to deepen it on all sides except in the region of the cotyloid notch. The joint-cavity is at first completely filled with a dense blastemat tissue, Fig. 56. While the embryo is growing from 20 to 30 mm. in length cavity formation begins in the tissue lying between the cartilagenous floor of the acetabulum and the head of the femur. The first stage in the process is marked by a c...

1720RuyschF

The author draws attention to the well-developed blood supply of the acetabular fossa, as well as the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF). In the work, it is referred to as the «ligamentum nerveo-cartilagineum», which literally means the tough cartilaginous ligament and implies its strength. With the difficulty of accessing the acetabular fossa, and therefore the LCF, Frederik Ruysch associates the inefficiency of treating hip joint pain. The writer presumably implies osteoarthritis. In our opinion, its development is initiated by the pathology of the LCF ( 2012АрхиповСВ ). The discussed work includes a black and white drawing of the LCF of a child, made by the illustrator Jan Wandelaar. In color, the same preparation, but from a different angle, was depicted by the artist Jan l'Admiral in a separate publication ( 1738LadmiralJ ). Ruysch F. Adversarium anatomico-medico-chirurgicorum decas secunda. In quâ varia notatu digna recensentur. Cum figuris aeneis. Amsterdami: a...

Human Children. Retelling of Chapter 14

Short retelling of chapter 14 of the essay: Arkhipov S.V. Human Children: The Origins of Biblical Legends from a Physician's Perspective. Joensuu: Author's Edition, 2025. [In Russian] Chapter 14. ESAU AND JACOB At 40, Isaac marries Rebekah, his cousin’s daughter. Their marriage is long childless until Rebekah conceives twins, detected prenatally, possibly by her large belly or palpation. Genesis states that at 60, Isaac fathers the twins, born naturally after 20 years of marriage. The first, Esau, emerges “red, all hairy like a cloak,” followed by Jacob, unremarkable but grasping Esau’s heel. Over time, their differences deepen: Esau, a skilled hunter, roams fields; Jacob, gentle, stays in tents. Famine forces the family from “Beer-Lahai-Roi” in the Negev to “Gerar’s Philistine king,” then to “Gerar’s valley,” and finally to Beersheba. At 40, Jacob, urged by Rebekah, deceives blind Isaac to steal Esau’s inheritance, sparking enmity. Rebekah advises Jacob to flee to rela...

Human Children. Retelling of Chapter 1

Short retelling of chapter 1 of the essay: Arkhipov S.V. Human Children: The Origins of Biblical Legends from a Physician's Perspective. Joensuu: Author's Edition, 2025. [In Russian] Chapter 1. THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD The Bible stands as a remarkable testament to religious and philosophical thought, passed down through the ages with minimal alterations. At its core lies a collection of texts rooted in the sacred writings of Jewish and Samaritan traditions, known as the Torah, meaning "Law" or "Teaching." In its narrowest sense, the Torah comprises the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, collectively called the Tanakh—an acronym derived from the Hebrew terms for "Law/Teaching" (Torah), "Prophets" (Nevi’im), and "Writings" (Ketuvim). Beyond this Written Torah, there exists an Oral Torah, which includes the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash, offering interpretations and expansions of the written texts. The Written Torah it...

1877MorrisH

An excerpt from the article by Morris H. Dislocations of the Thigh: their mode of occurrence as indicated by experiments, and the Anatomy of the Hip-joint (1877, pp. 161-170). The author noted that the ligamentum capitis femoris (LCF) is stretched during flexion, adduction, and external rotation. It was found that the LCF is always damaged in hip dislocations, is more often torn from the femur, and is rarely ruptured. Discussion of article see article 1877BrookeC . DISLOCATIONS OF THE THIGH: THEIR MODE OF OCCURRENCE AS INDICATED BY EXPERIMENTS AND THE ANATOMY OF THE HIP-JOINT. BY HENRY MORRIS, M.A., M.B., F.R.C.S., ASSISTANT SURGEON TO, AND LECTURER ON ANATOY1 AT, THE MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL. Received January 9th-Read February 13th, 1877. RECENTLY, whilst making various dissections of the hip-joint, the usually accepted doctrine that dorsal and ischiatic dislocations of the femur occur when the thigh is in a position of adduction appeared to me as very improbable, on anatomi...

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