THE PALATE. 



191 



The superior maxillary is, with the exception of the lower jaw, the largest 

 bone in the face. It unites above with the lachrymal bone (t, p. 110); and, 

 more on the side, with the malar or cheek bone, k ; and a portion of it, con- 

 tinued upward, and underneath, enters into the orbit. Above, and on the front 

 of the face, it unites with the bones of the nose, /, and below, with the inferior 

 maxillary, n. That which most deserves notice in it externally is the ridge or 

 spine, seen at 6, p. 108, but better delineated in the cut of the head, p. Ill, con- 

 tinued from the base of the zygomatic arch, and across the malar bone. It and 

 the surface beneath serve to give attachment to the masseter muscle, concerned, 

 almost as much as the temporal one, in the act of chewing. The dark spot (ra, 

 p. 110, and seen likewise at p. 108) marks the foramen or hole, through which a 

 branch of the fifth pair of nerves proceeds to give sensibility to the lower part of 

 the face. As it approaches the teeth, this bone separates into two plates, and 

 these are divided by long partitions, which contain and firmly hold the upper 

 grinders. The lower plate then projects inwards, and forms (, p. Ill) the prin- 

 cipal portion of the roof of the mouth, and the floor of the cavity of the nose. 

 The corresponding bone on the other side meets its fellow in the centre of the 

 palate. The upper jaw-bone contains in it large cavities besides those for 

 the teeth, and these open into and enlarge the cavity of the nose. They are con- 

 nected with the voice, but not with the smell, for the expansion of the olfactory 

 or smelling nerve has never been traced beyond the bones and membranes of the 

 proper cavity of the nose. The maxillary sinuses are generally filled with 

 matter in bad cases of glanders. 



Below these are the anterior maxillary bones (/, p. 108, a, p. 108), containing 

 the upper cutting teeth, with the tushes belonging both to the upper and anterior 

 bones. These are the bones to which (see cut, 

 p. 1 11) the upper lip is attached. The superior 

 and anterior maxillary bones are separated in 

 animals with long faces, like the horse, that, 

 by overlapping each other, strength might be 

 gained. 



The palatine bone forms but a very small 

 portion of the palate. It surrounds the edge of 

 the communication between the cavity of the 

 nose and the back parts of the mouth. 



THE PALATE. 



Adhering to a portion of the three bones 

 just described, and constituting the lining of the 

 roof of the mouth, is the palate (/, p. Ill), 

 composed of an elastic and dense substance 

 divided into several ridges called Bars. This 

 cut gives a view of them. 



It will also point out the bleeding place,~if 

 it should occasionally be deemed advisable to 

 abstract blood from the mouth ; or if the horse 

 should be attacked with megrims on a journey, 

 and the driver, having no lancet, should be 

 compelled to make use of his knife, the incision 

 should be made between the central and second 

 nippers on either side, about an inch within the 

 mouth, and cutting through the second bar. 

 A stream of blood wiii be thus obtained, which will usually cease to flow 



