258 THE ORGANS OF DIGESTION 



digastric muscle. It is covered by the skin, platysma, 

 and fasciae, and grooves the inner surface of the lower 

 jaw. 



The submaxillary duct (Wharton's) is 2 inches long, 

 and opens at the top of a papilla close to the frenum 

 of the tongue into the mouth. Thence it runs back 

 between the sublingual gland and the geniohyoglossus, 

 then between the mylohyoid and the hyoglossus and 

 geniohyoglossus. 



The sublingual gland, the smallest of the salivary 

 glands, lies at the side of the frenum of the tongue 

 and against the inner surface of the lower jaw, beneath 

 the mucous membrane. It is almond-shaped, weighs 

 1 dram, and its ducts (of Rivini), ten to twenty in 

 number, open separately, one or two joining to form 

 the duct of Bartholin, which joins Wharton's duct. 



THE PHARYNX 



The pharynx is a musculomembranous tube, conical 

 in shape, between the oral cavity and the esophagus; 

 communicating with the posterior nares, the oral 

 cavity, the larynx, the two Eustachian tubes. It is 

 attached above to the periosteum of the petrous 

 portion of the temporal bone and the basilar process 

 of the occipital bone. The raphe of the constrictor 

 muscles is attached to the pharyngeal tubercle of the 

 basilar process of the occipital bone. It is bounded 

 above by the body of the sphenoid and basilar process 

 of the occipital; below, it is continuous with the 

 esophagus; anteriorly, it is incomplete, and is attached 

 to the Eustachian tube, the internal pterygoid plate, 

 the pterygomandibular ligament, the posterior portion 

 of the mylohyoid ridge, the mucous membrane of 

 the mouth, the base of the tongue, the hyoid bone, 

 the thyroid and cricoid cartilages; posteriorly, the 

 prevertebral fascia, and areolar tissue connect it to 



