THE FACE. 169 



mencement of the infra-orbitar canal, for transmitting the su- 

 perior maxillary nerve and artery. 



The external face of the orbit is also triangular, and very ob- 

 lique. It is formed by the malar bone, and by the orbitar face 

 of the great sphenoidal wing. It is defined below by the spheno- 

 maxillary fissure, and above by the suture which unites the 

 frontal to the malar, and to the great wing of the sphenoidal 

 bone. It is terminated, at the apex of the orbit, by the sphe- 

 noidal fissure. 



The internal face of the orbit is an oblong square, nearly 

 parallel, as mentioned, with the corresponding face of the other 

 orbit. It is formed principally by the orbitar face of the eth- 

 moid, called the os planum, but at the apex of the orbit a small 

 portion of the body of the sphenoid bone contributes to it, and 

 anteriorly is the os unguis. It is bounded behind by the sphe- 

 noidal fissure, in front by the lachrymal ridge on the nasal pro- 

 cess of the os maxillare superius, and above and below by the 

 upper and lower ethmoidal sutures. In the upper of these su- 

 tures there are generally two, sometimes three, foramina, the 

 anterior of which transmits an artery, a vein, and a nerve, to 

 the nose ; the posterior transmits, also, an artery and a vein to 

 the same. 



The lachrymal fossa is well worthy of attention: it is seen to 

 commence small at the upper part of the os unguis, and to in- 

 crease in size till it is formed into a complete canal, the ductus 

 ad nasum, leading to the nose, by the upper maxillary and the 

 inferior spongy bones. The direction of the canal is almost ver- 

 tically downwards, inclining very slightly backwards. It was 

 stated, that the fossa in the fore part of the os unguis is some- 

 times supplanted by the increased breadth of the nasal process, a 

 fact of some importance to an operator for fistula lachrymalis. 



SECT. VII. OF THE FACE, TOGETHER WITH SOME REMARKS ON THE 



FACIAL ANGLE, AND ON NATIONAL PECULIARITIES. 



The anterior oval of the head extends from the frontal pro- 

 tuberances to the base of the lower jaw, and from the malar 

 bone of one side to the malar of the other inclusively. This 

 oval is divided into two symmetrical or equal halves, by the 



VOL. I. 15 



