676 



DISSECTION OF THE HEAD. 



Nasal 

 branches 



superior 

 nasal, 



naso- 

 palatine. 



Palatine 

 branches 



are three. 



Large nerve 

 has branches 

 to nose ; 



small ; and 



external 

 palatine. 



Pharyngeal 

 branch. 



Orbital 

 branches. 



Uniting 

 branches, 

 to fifth, 



and to facial 

 and sympa- 

 thetic 

 through the 



Vidiait. 



BRANCHES TO THE NOSE. The nasal branches, from three to five 

 in number, are very small and soft, and pass inwards through the 

 spheno-palatine foramen ; they are distributed in the nose and the 

 roof of the mouth. 



1 . The superior nasal branches ramify in the mucous membrane on 

 the two upper spongy bones, and a few filaments reach the back part; 

 of the septum nasi. 



The naso-palatine nerve (fig. 238, 3 , p. 672), crosses the roof of the 

 nasal fossa to reach the septum, on which it descends to near the front 

 of that partition. In the floor of the nose it enters a special canal by 

 the side of the septum, the left being anterior to the right, and is 

 conveyed to the roof of the mouth, where it lies in the centre of the 

 anterior palatine fossa. Finally, the nerves of opposite sides are 

 distributed in the mucous membrane behind the incisor teeth, and 

 communicate with one another. On the septum nasi filaments are 

 supplied by the naso-palatine nerve to the mucous membrane. To 

 follow the nerve to its termination, the canal in the roof of the 

 mouth must be opened. 



BRANCHES IN THE PALATE. The nerves of the palate, though 

 connected in part with the ganglionic mass, are the continuation of 

 the spheno-palatine branches of the superior maxillary nerve (p. 652). 

 Below the ganglion they are divided into three large, small, and 

 external. 



1. The large or anterior palatine nerve (fig. 239, 9 ) reaches the roof 

 of the mouth through the largest palatine canal, and courses for- 

 wards nearly to the incisor teeth, where it joins the naso-palatine 

 nerve. While in the canal, the nerve furnishes two or more filaments 

 (inferior nasal, f) to the membrane on the middle and lower spongy 

 bones ; in the roof of the mouth it supplies the mucous membrane 

 and glands, and gives an offset to the soft palate. 



2. The small or posterior palatine nerve ( 10 ) lies in the smaller canal, 

 and ends below in the soft palate, the uvula, and the tonsil. 



3. The external palatine nerve is very small, and descends in the 

 canal of the same name to be distributed to the velum palati and 

 the tonsil. 



The PHARTNGEAL BRANCH is a minute twig which is directed 

 through the pterygo-palatine canal to supply the mucous membrane 

 of the pharynx near the Eustachian tube. 



BRANCHES TO THE ORBIT. Two or three in number, these ascend 

 through the spheno- maxillary fissure, and end in the periosteum and 

 orbital muscle (p. 652). It will be necessary to cut through the 

 sphenoid bone to follow these nerves to their termination. 



CONNECTING BRANCHES. The ganglion is united, as before said, 

 with the spheno-palatine branches of the fifth nerve (fig. 239, 7 ), 

 receiving sensory fibres through them ; and through the medium of 

 the Vidian, which is described below, it communicates with a motor 

 nerve (facial), and with the sympathetic nerve. 



The Vidian nerve ( 8 ) passes backwards through the Vidian canal, 

 and sends some small filaments through the bone to the membrane 



