SOME POINTS IN THE ANATOMY OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 37 



of the head and neck with the anterior wall of the pharynx on 

 the one hand, was separated from the posterior half with the 

 posterior wall on the other. On the front half an excellent 

 view of the anterior pharyngeal wall, etc., was obtained. The 

 posterior half showed merely the flattened posterior wall of the 

 pharynx, with the pharyngeal tonsil. The section gives a very 

 striking demonstration of the naso-pharynx, the soft palate, the 

 isthmus of the fauces, and also of the flattening of the pharyn- 

 geal cavity from before backwards. 



The second specimen was designed to show the naso-pharynx 

 and the oral pharynx from the front. The skull-cap and brain 

 having been removed, and the opening of the mouth continued 

 backwards on each side by an incision carried as far as the 

 masseter, a coronal section was made through the anterior part 

 of the head and face, which ran parallel to, and about 2 mm. in 

 front of, the posterior edge of the nasal septum, and divided 

 the back part of the hard palate transversely. The posterior 

 edge of the nasal septum was preserved intact, and the posterior 

 extremity of the two inferior turbinals also remained at each 

 side. At the same time the oral pharynx and its surroundings 

 were brought into view by depressing the tongue and mandible. 

 In one specimen prepared in this way the posterior nares were 

 particularly wide and the naso-pharynx especially roomy, so 

 that a wonderfully distinct view of the naso-pharyngeal cavity, 

 with its sloping vault and its Eustachian orifices, was obtained. 

 The flattenmg of the pharynx from before backwards, so dis- 

 tinct in hardened bodies, has been already referred to ; at the 

 same time, the chamber-like character of the naso-pharynx is 

 very distinct. A very striking characteristic of the pharynx is 

 well shown in the first of the two specimens referred to above, 

 namely, the great width of the naso-pharynx just behind the 

 Eustachian tubes at the lateral recesses (fossffi of Eosenmiiller). 

 Here the cavity bulges out on each side over the upper border 

 of the superior constrictor for a considerable distance ; and here, 

 too, contrary to the usual description, the pharyngeal cavity is 

 widest. Next in width comes the oral portion of the tube, 

 which is wider above than opposite the hyoid bone. 



No convenient term is in general use for the aperture between 

 the two posterior palatine arches through which the naso- 



