LINGUAL ARTERY. 



271 



The Inferior laryngeal is a small branch which crosses the crico- 

 thyroidean membrane along the lower border of the thyroid cartilage. 

 It sends branches through the membrane to supply the mucous lining 

 of the larynx, and inosculates with its fellow of the opposite side. 



Fig. 103 * 



The muscular branches are distributed to the depressor muscles of 

 the os hyoides and larynx. One of these branches crosses the sheath 

 of the common carotid to the under surface of the sterno-mastoid 

 muscle. 



2. The LINGUAL ARTERY ascends obliquely from its origin, it then 

 passes forwards parallel with the os hyoides ; thirdly, it ascends to 

 the under surface of the tongue ; and fourthly, runs forward in a 

 serpentine direction to its tip, under the name of ranine artery, 

 where it terminates by inosculating with its fellow of the opposite 

 side. 



Relations. Theirs/ part of its course rests upon the middle con- 

 strictor muscle of the pharynx, being covered in by the tendon of 

 the digastricus and the stylo-hyoid muscle ; the second is situated 

 between the middle constrictor and hyo-glossus muscle, the latter 

 separating it from the lingual nerve ; in the third part of its course 



* The carotid arteries with the branches of the external carotid. 1. The common 

 carotid. 2. The external carotid. 3. The internal carotid. 4. The carotid foramen 

 in the petrous portion of the temporal bone. 5. The superior thyroid artery. 6. The 

 lingual artery. 7. The facial artery. 8. The mastoid artery. 9. The occipital. 10. 

 The posterior auricular. 11. The transverse facial artery. 12. The internal maxil- 

 lary. 13. The temporal. 14. The ascending pharyngeal artery. 



