22 



ELEMENTARY PHYSIOLOGY 



The bones of the face are as follows : 



Two superior maxillary. 

 Two palatal. 

 Two nasal. 

 Two lachrymal. 



Two inferior turbinated. 



One vomer. 



Two malar. 



One inferior maxillary. 



The superior maxillary bones (Lat. maxilla, a jaw) form the upper jaw, 

 and the greater portion of the palate or roof of the mouth. In them are fixed 

 the upper set of teeth. Behind these bones are the two palatal bones (Lat. 

 palatum, the roof of the mouth), which form the hinder portion of the palate. 



The nasal bones (Lat. nasus, the nose) are two very small bones, situated 

 between the sockets of the eyes, and forming the uppei and hard ridge of the 

 nose. Very near these bones, separated from them by a narrow portion of 

 the superior maxillaries, are two small bones called the lachrymal bones, 



Fig. 22. The Inferior Maxillary Bone. 



c , the condyles, which articulate with the temporal bones. 



lachrymal plates (Lat. lachryma, a tear), or tear-bones. They are so called 

 because they are grooved for the nasal ducts which convey the tears from the 

 eyes into the cavities of the nose. 



A large portion of the face is occupied by the two nasal cavities and the 

 bones which form their walls. The inferior turbinated bones (Lat. turbo, a 

 turning round) are spongy bones which are curved round like scrolls, and pro- 

 ject into the nasal cavities. These cavities are separated by a very thin bone 

 called the vomer (Lat. a ploughshare). (See fig. 19.) 



The malar or cheek-bones (Lat. mala, the cheek) are the two most promi- 

 nent bones of the cheeks. They unite with the superior maxillaries in front, 

 and send out processes behind which join with similar projections from the 

 temporal bones, forming the arches which have already been mentioned. The 

 cheek-bones also help to form the sockets of the eyes. 



The remaining bone of the face is the inferior maxillary or lower jaw. 

 It is the largest bone in the face, and in it is fixed the lower set of teeth. It 

 is the only movable bone of the skull. It gives off two processes which form 

 ioints with sockets in the temporal bones ; and these joints are so constructed 



