Phalanges, like the metacarpals and metatarsals, are classified as 'short long bones'. The main blood supply, particularly during the period of active growth, is from a nutrient artery which enters the bone obliquely through the nutrient canal which is directed away, as a rule, from the growing end. In a study of human long bones, metacarpals and metatarsals, anomalously directed canals were only found in the fibula (Mysorekar, 1967;Patake & Mysorekar, 1977). Hardly any information is available about the nutrient foramina in phalanges. Trotter & Peterson (1966) simply mention that in all the phalanges of the hand and foot the nutrient canal is directed towards the distal extremity. Wood Jones (1946) stated that the nutrient foramen of each phalanx is situated on the palmar aspect of the shaft not far from the distal end: it may be single, in which case it is mesially placed, or there may be two, one close to each border. In all cases the canal is directed towards the distal end and the nutrient arteries are branches of the corresponding palmar digital arteries. He further said that the nutrient foramen in each phalanx of the foot is directed towards the distal end, but the source of the nutrient arteries was not given. The present observations on the phalanges were undertaken to complete our study of the nutrient foramina in long and 'short long' bones. MATERIAL AND METHODS1770 phalanges of the hand and 660 phalanges of the foot, of unknown sex, from the collections in the anatomy departments of five medical colleges, were studied. Only diaphysial nutrient foramina in normal bones were examined, pathological specimens being rejected. A nutrient foramen had a well marked groove leading to it and a clear cut, often slightly raised, margin. It was sometimes difficult to identify a foramen with certainty with the naked eye; hence, in all cases, use was made of a watchmaker's magnifier.The length of the bone (L) was measured by means of a sliding caliper. The distance of the foramen from the base (D) was measured by means of a divider and read on a scale graduated in millimetres. The foraminal index (F.I.) = D/L x 100 (Hughes, 1952).The positions of foramina in relation to the surfaces of the bones, or to the borders between the surfaces in the case of the phalanges of the hand, were noted. When the foramina were within 1 mm of the actual border they were regarded as being on the border.The direction of canals was noted, and in cases of doubt a fine stiff wire was passed through a foramen to confirm its direction.The proximal phalanges of the thumb and great toe were considered separately as these were readily distinguishable in skeletal collections.

Healthy men (n = 42) and women (n = 45) who were right-handed and men (n = 21) and women (n = 20) who were left-handed were studied. Men's mean age was 21.1 +/- 3.5 yr. and women's 20.7 +/- 3.1 yr. These students in various faculties reported they were right- or left-handed. Then their hand and foot preferences (handedness and footedness) were ascertained by asking each of the subjects to perform 11 tasks for handedness and 9 tasks for footedness. A discriminate function analysis test showed that each of the 11 tasks used for assessing their self-reported handedness was significant, but, of the 9 tasks used for assessing self-reported footedness, only 7 were significant. Strength of the hand or foot played no role in reports of handedness or footedness. A combination of four tasks, such as pulling a door, pushing a door, holding an object, and hammering a nail, on which the maximum number of subjects performed with the right or left hand, depending upon their self-reported handedness, would be ideal for ascertaining handedness. A combination of three tasks, namely, kicking a football, pushing an object with the foot, and stamping on the ground, would be ideal for ascertaining footedness.

The relationship of the anterior branch of the axillary nerve to the deltoid muscle was studied on both sides in 66 adult cadavers. The nerve runs a course on the deep surface of the deltoid muscle about 2.2 cm above the midpoint on the vertical plane of the muscle.

The surface areas of the occipital condyles of 101 skulls and of the superior articular facets of 103 atlases have been measured to ascertain bilateral asymmetry and dominance. The atlases show a tendency to have larger facets and the occipital bones tend to have larger condyles on the right side.

113 SUMMARYOne hundred and sixty four right and 187 left, dry, fully ossified human ulnae have been studied to derive regression formulae for the establishment of the total length of the ulna from the upper and lower segments, the line of division between the segments being the lowest level of insertion of the brachialis muscle.Also, 175 right and 179 left, dry, fully ossified tibiae have been studied to derive regression formulae for establishment of the total length of the tibia from the upper and lower segments, the line of division being the lower limit of the soleal line.All the formulae derived are statistically highly significant and have a high degree of prediction, and are valuable in establishing the stature of an individual.