334 



THE PALATE. 



membrane and the bone ; and, like the rest of the mouth, it is covered 

 with a squamous stratified epithelium. 



In the rabbit fine nervous fibrils have been traced forming a plexus in the 

 epithelium (Elin), 



The soft palate (velum pendulum palati) is formed of a doubling of 

 mucous membrane inclosing muscular fibres and numerous glands. It 

 constitutes an incomplete and moveable partition between the mouth 

 aud the pharynx, continued from the posterior border of the hard palate, 



Eig. 235. — Antero-Posterior Vertical Section through the Head a little to the 



LEFT OF THE MiDDLE LiNE, SHOWING THE RELATIONS OP THE NaSAL AND BuCCAL 



Cavities, the Pharynx, Larynx, &;c. 



a, nasal septum, and below it the section of the hard palate ; h, the tongue ; c, soft 

 palate ; d, the lips ; u, the uvula ; r, anterior pillar of the fauces ; i, posterior pillar ; 

 t, the tonsil placed between the pillars ; jt, upper part of the pharynx ; h, bod.y of the 

 hyoid bone ; Tc, thyroid cartilage ; n, cricoid cartilage ; v, on the upper vocal cords above 

 the glottis ; s, epiglottis ; 1, posterior opening of the nares ; 3, behind the isthmus 

 faucium ; 4, opposite the superior opening of the larynx ; 5, passage into the cesophagiis ; 

 Q, opening of the right Eustachian tube. 



obliquely downwards and backwards (fig. 235, c). Its form and its infe- 

 rior connections, bounding the isthmus of the fauces, have been already 

 described, together with the muscles which enter into its composition. 



The anterior or under surface of the velum, which is visible in the 

 mouth, is concave. The mucous membrane, continuous with that of 

 the hard palate, is thinner and darker : it is covered with a similar 

 epithelium. The median ridge or raphe, which is continued backwards 

 from the hard palate to the base of the uvula, indicates the original 

 separation of the velum into two lateral halves. 



The posterior surface of the soft palate, slightly convex or arched, 

 is continuous above with the floor of the posterior nares. It is slightly 

 elevated along the middle line, opposite to the uvula. The greater 



