Bursæ over Phalangeal joints.
D 1 present.
D 2, 3, 4, none over either of the phalangeal joints.
D 5 bursa present over the first and absent over the second phalangeal joint.
This example of a still-born, but otherwise normal infant illustrates well the previous statement that certain bursæ are congenital and others of less functional importance are formed after birth. Whereas the olecranon, wrist, patellar, ankle and tendo achillis bursæ are fully formed, those under the acromion processes, one of those of the condyles of the femur, and the digits of the hand, those over the superior anterior spines of the ilium and those of the foot are little if at all developed in this case.
Another still-born child at seven months was also dissected and this had well-formed prepatellar bursæ, scanty ones over the olecranon processes, also over the small joints of the hand and foot where they were difficult to isolate and over the malleoli they were only slightly developed.
A fœtus in spirit I examined and found no commencement of a prepatellar bursa.
Examination of Living Primates.
Anthropoid Apes.