INTEEXAL MAXILLARY ARTERY, 371 



■upon the membrana tympani. It anastomoses in the tympanum witli the stylo- 

 mastoid and Vidian arteries. 



(b) The middle or grcdt m cui/ifjca 7 artevy.hy fixi: the largest of the arteries 

 which supply the dura mater, passes directly upwards under cover of the external 

 pterygoid muscle, between the two roots of the auiiculo -temporal nerve, and 

 enters the skull by the spinous foramen of the sphenoid bone. Within the 

 cranium.it ascends to the anterior inferior angle of the parietal bone, and divides 

 into numerous branches, which ramify in deep arljorescent g-rooves on the inner 

 surface of the bones some passing upwards over the parietal bone, as high as 

 the vertex, and others backwards even to the occipital bone. 



Immediately on entering the cranium the meningeal artery gives minvite 

 branches to the ganglion of the fifth nerve and to the dura mater near the sella 

 turcica, and a small twig which enters the hiatus Fallopii, and anastomoses with 

 the stylo-mastoid branch of the posterior auricular artery. It also inosculates 

 with branches of the ophthalmic artery. 



The middle meningeal artery is accomiDanied by two veins. 



(f) The siiiall nicnhu/cnl artery, usually arising from the preceding branch. 

 •enters the skull through the foramen ovale, to supplj- the dui-a mater in the 

 middle fossa. 



{d) The inferior dental arterij. passing downwards, entei's the dental canal 

 along with the inferior dental nerve, and subsequently escapes on tlie face by the 

 mental foramen. As it enters the canal, it gives off the mi/lo-hi/did branch, 

 which, with the nerve beaiing the same name, nins in a gi-oove on the inner 

 sui-face of the jaw, below the dental foramen, and ramifies on the under surface 

 of the mylo-hyoid muscle. In its coiu'se through the bone, the inferior dental 

 artery gives off small oft'scts, whicli ascend to enter the mmute apertures in the 

 extremities of the fangs of the teeth, and supj^ly the pulp of each : before 

 emerging at the mental foramen, it sends forwards a branch which supplies the 

 incisor teeth and inosculates with its fellow of the opposite side. The tennuial 

 or facial branches anastomose with the inferior coronary and submental arteries. 



B. — Branches of the second part. — The branches of this part are chiefly 

 distributed to muscles. 



(rt) The dee^) temporal branches, two in number (anterior and posterior), 

 ascending between the temporal muscle and the cranium, supply that muscle, 

 and anastomose with the In-anches of the other temporal arteries, and with 

 minute bi-anches of the lachi-jinal artery, through small foramina in the malar 

 bone. 



{h) The pteri/f/oid branches, small, short offsets, uTegular in number and origin, 

 are distributed to the pteiygoid muscles. 



(c) The mam-teric is a small but regular branch which passes from within 

 outwards, above the sigmoid notch of the lower maxillary bone, to the deep 

 surface of the masseter muscle. It is often joined at its origin with the posterior 

 temporal branch. 



(d) The huceal branch runs obliquely forwards upon the buccinator muscle 

 with the buccal nerve ; it is distributed to that and other muscles of the cheek, 

 and anastomoses with the branches of the facial arterj-. 



C— Branches of the third part.— These branches, like those of the first 

 series, enter bony foramina or canals. 



{(I) The alveolar or superior waj-illar)/ hrancJi, arising near the tuberosity of 

 the maxillary bone, frequently in common with the infra-orbital branch, runs 

 tortuously foi-wards upon the surface of the upper jaw. and gives off the .ii/perior 

 dental and other branches which enter the foramina of the tuberosity, and supply 

 the pulps of the upper molar and bicuspid teeth, besides ramifying' in the hning 

 membrane of the maxillary sinus. Other small branches supply the gums. 



(h) The infra-orhitol artery runs horizontally for^\^ards into the infra-orbital 

 canal, and having traversed that canal along with the superior maxillary nerve, 

 emerges upon the face at the infra-orbital foramen. 



Whilst still in the canal, it sends upwards into the orbit small branches, which 

 enter the inferior rectus and the inferior oblique muscles of the eye and the lach- 

 rymal gland, and others downwards to supply the front feeth." On the face it 



B r, 2 



