INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERV. 309 



just as that vessel is about to make its turn into the spheno-maxillary 

 fossa. It descends upon the tuberosity of the superior maxillary bone, 

 and sends its branches through several small foramina to supply the 

 posterior teeth of the upper jaw, and the antrum. The terminal 

 branches are continued forwards upon the alveolar process, to be dis- 

 tributed to the gums and to the sockets of the teeth. 



The Infra-orbital would appear, from its size, to be the proper con- 

 tinuation of the artery. It runs along the infra-orbital canal with the 

 superior maxillary nerve, sending branches into the orbit and down- 

 wards through canals in the bone, to supply the mucous lining of the 

 antrum and the teeth of the upper jaw, and escapes from the infra- 

 orbital foramen. The branch which supplies the incisor teeth is the 

 anterior dental artery ; on the face the infraorbital inosculates with the 

 facial and transverse facial arteries. 



The Ptery go-palatine is a small branch which passes through the 

 pterygo-palatine canal, and supplies the upper part of the pharynx and 

 Eustachian tube. 



The Spheno-palatine, or nasal, enters the superior meatus of the nose 

 through the spheno -palatine foramen in company with the nasal 

 branches of Meckel's ganglion, and divides into two branches ; one of 

 which is distributed in the mucous membrane of the septum, while 

 the other supplies the mucous membrane of the lateral wall of the 

 nares, together with the sphenoid and ethmoid cells. 



The Posterior palatine artery descends along the posterior palatine 

 canal, in company with the posterior palatine branches of Meckel's 

 ganglion, to the posterior palatine foramen ; it then curves forwards 

 lying in a groove upon the bone, and is distributed to the palate. 

 While in the posterior palatine canal it sends a branch backwards, 

 through the small posterior palatine foramen to supply the soft palate, 

 and anteriorly it distributes a branch to the anterior palatine canal, 

 which reaches the nares and inosculates with the branches of the 

 spheno-palatine artery. 



The Vidian branch passes backwards along the pterygoid canal, and 

 is distributed to the sheath of the Vidian nerve, and to the Eustachian 

 tube. 



INTERNAL CAROTID ARTERY. 



The internal carotid artery curves slightly outwards from the bifur- 

 cation of the common carotid, and then ascends nearly perpendicularly 

 through the maxillo-pharyngeal space* to the carotid foramen in the 

 petrous bone. It next passes inwards., along the carotid canal, for- 

 wards by the side of the sella turcica, and upwards by the anterior 

 clinoid process, where it pierces the dura mater and divides into three 

 terminal branches. The course of this artery is remarkable for the 

 number of angular curves which it forms ; one or two of these flexures 



* For the boundaries of this space see page 18Q. 



