BRANCHES OF THE FACIAL ARTERY, 365 



to the tonsil, the styloid muscles, and the Eustachian tube, this artery divides near 

 the levator palati muscle into two branches, one of -n-hich follows the course 

 of the cii-cumfiexus palati muscle, and is distribiited to the soft palate and its 

 glands, while the other penetrates to the tonsil, and ramifies upon it -n-ith the 

 branch to be next described. — The place of tliis artery upon the palate is often 

 taken by the ascending pharyngeal. 



{h) The tonsiUar branch ascends along the side of the pharynx, and penetrating 

 the superior constrictor of the pharjoix, terminates in small vessels upon the 

 tonsil and the side of the tongue near its root. 



(<;•) The glandular branches, a numerous series which enter the substance of the 

 submaxillary gland, whilst the facial artery is in contact with it ; and some of 

 which are prolonged upon the side of the tongue. 



{(1) The xithmcntal branch, the largest arising from the facial in the neck. 

 Leaving the artery near the point at which it turns upwards to the face, it 

 runs forwards below the base of the maxillary bone on the surface of the mylo- 

 hyoid muscle and subjacent to the digastric. Giving branches in its course to 

 the submaxillary gland and the muscles attached to the jaw, and anastomosing 

 with the sublingual artery, it approaches the symphysis of the chin and divides 

 into two branches ; one of these running more superficially than the other, 

 passes between the depressor muscle of the lower lip and the skin, supplying 

 both ; while the other dips between that muscle and the bone, and ramifies in 

 the substance of the lip, communicating -s^-ith the inferior labial and mental 

 branches. 



B. Facial branches. — Of the branches derived from the facial artery upon 

 the side of the face, some are directed outwards to the muscles, as to the masseter 

 and buccinator, and require only to be indicated. The larger branches are 

 dii'ected inwards, and are as follows : — 



(rt) The inferior lahhd liranch. This arises soon after the facial artery has 

 turned over the lower border of the maxilla, and running forward beneath the 

 depressor anguli oris, distributes branches to the skin and muscles of the lower 

 lip, anastomosing with the inferior coronary and submental branches, and with 

 the inferior dental branch of the internal maxillary artery. 



(h) The coronarij artcrij of the lower -lip. Arising near the angle of the mouth, 

 r„3 often in conjunction with the superior coronary as from the facial separately, 

 this branch penetrates the muscular fibres surrounding the orifice of the mouth, 

 takes a transverse and tortuous course between those fibres and the mucous mem- 

 brane of the lip, and inosculates with the corresponding artery of the opposite 

 side. Small twigs from it ascend to supply the orbicular and depressor muscles, 

 the glands, and other structures of the lower lip ; whilst others descend towards 

 the chin, and communicate there with other branches. 



(f) The coronari/ artcrij of the upper lip. Larger and more tortuous than the 

 preceding branch, with which it often arises, this vessel runs across between the 

 muscles and mucous membranes of the upper lip, and inosculates with its fellow 

 of the opposite side. In addition to supplj-ing the whole thickness of the upper 

 lip, it gives two or three small branches to the nose. One of these, named the 

 artery of the .septum, runs along the lower border of the septum nasi, on which 

 it ramifies as far as the point of the nose : another reaches the ala of the nose. 



(d) The lateral nasal artery. This branch turns inwards to the side of the 

 nose beneath the common elevator of the nose and lip, and sends branches to 

 the ala and the dorsum of the nose. It anastomoses with the nasal branch 

 of the ophthalmic, with the artery of the septum nasi, and with the infra- 

 orbital artery. 



(^0 Angular artery. Under this name is recognised the terminal part of the 

 facial artery, which inosculates at the inner side of the orbit with a terminal 

 branch of the ophthalmic artery. 



Commimication between the superficial and deep branches of the external 

 carotid is established by the anastomoses of the facial artery with the infra- 

 orbital, buccal, inferior dental, and nasal branches of the internal maxillaiy ; 

 and between the external and the internal carotids by the anastomosis of the 

 facial with the ophthalmic arteries. 



