THE SOFT PALATE AND TONSIL. 51 



The action of the palatine muscles upon a fissure ex- 

 isting in the velum would obviously produce a separa- 

 tion of its margins, and it has been shown that the mus- 

 cular action by which these margins are brought together 

 is caused by the upper semicircular border of the superior 

 constrictor of the pharynx, and that the muscles to be 

 divided in the operation of staphyloraphy or stitching up 

 the fissure, are the levatores palati and the palato-pha- 

 ryngei, the upper expanded fasciculi of which are divided 

 into two parts by the levatores palati, and if necessary 

 the palato-glossi. (Fergusson.) 



The levator palati is to be divided on both sides by 

 putting the undeveloped velum upon the stretch, when 

 a double-edged knife is passed through the soft palate, 

 just on the inner side of the hamular process, and above 

 the line of the levator palati. 



Another method of dividing the levator palati is by 

 passing a knife curved on the flat through the fissure 

 and behind the flap, its edge making an incision half an 

 inch long, half way between the hamular process and the 

 orifice of the Eustachian tube, and perpendicular to a line 

 drawn between them. 



The palato-pharyngeus is to be divided by cutting 

 through the posterior pillars just below the tonsil. Occa- 

 sionally the palato-glossus requires division. 



The tonsils or amygdalce are two small glandular bodies, 

 varying in size in different individuals, situated between 

 the anterior and posterior pillars of the fauces ; they are 

 in relation, externally with the superior constrictor, and 

 by it separated from the internal carotid and ascending 

 pharyngeal vessels ; below they rest on the side of the 

 base of the tongue. The position of the tonsil corre- 

 sponds with the angle of the inferior maxilla, at a point 



