BRANCHES Or THE FIFTH NERVE. 805 



The naso-palatine nerve (Cotunnius) also enters the nasal fossa through the 

 spheno-palatine foramen, and passes inward across the roof of the nose, below 

 the orifice of the sphenoidal sinus, to reach the septum ; it then runs obliquely 

 downward and forward along the lower part of the septum, to the anterior palatine 

 foramen, lying between the periosteum and mucous membrane. It descends to the 

 roof of the mouth through the anterior palatine canal. The two nerves are here 

 contained in separate and distinct canals, situated in the intermaxillary suture, 

 and termed the foramina of Scarpa, the left nerve being usually anterior to the 

 right one. In the mouth they become united, supply the mucous membrane 

 behind the incisor teeth, and join with the anterior palatine nerve. The naso- 

 palatine nerve occasionally furnishes a few small filaments to the mucous mem- 

 brane of the septum. 



The posterior branches are the pharyngeal (pterygo-palatine) and the upper 

 posterior nasal branches. 



The pharyngeal nerve (pterygo-palatine) is a small branch arising from the 

 back part of the ganglion, being generally blended with the Vidian nerve. It 

 passes through the pterygo-palatine canal with the pterygo-palatine artery, and is 

 distributed to the mucous membrane of the upper part of the pharynx, behind the 

 Eustachian tube. 



The upper posterior nasal branches are a few twigs given off from the posterior 

 part of the ganglion, which run backward in the sheath of the Vidian nerve to 

 the mucous membrane at the back part of the roof, septum, and superior meatus 

 of the nose and that covering the end of the Eustachian tube. 



Inferior Maxillary Nerve (Fig. 483). 



The Inferior Maxillary Nerve distributes branches to the teeth and gums of 

 the lower jaw, the integument of the temple and external ear, the lower part of 

 the face and lower lip, and the muscles of mastication ; it also supplies the tongue 

 with a large branch. It is the largest of the three divisions of the fifth, and is 

 made up of two roots : a large or sensory root proceeding from the inferior angle 

 of the Gasserian ganglion ; and a small or motor root, which passes beneath the 

 ganglion, and unites with the sensory root just after its exit through the foramen 

 ovale. Immediately beneath the base of the skull this nerve divides into two 

 trunks, anterior and posterior. Previous to its division the primary trunk gives 

 off from its inner side a recurrent (meningeal) branch and the nerve to the Internal 

 pterygoid muscle. 



The recurrent branch is given off directly after its exit from the foramen 

 ovale. It passes backward into the skull through the foramen spinosum with the 

 middle meningeal artery. It divides into two branches, anterior and posterior, 

 which accompany the main divisions of the artery and supply the dura mater. 

 The anterior branch communicates with the meningeal branch of the superior 

 maxillary nerve. 



The internal Pterygoid Nerve, given off from the inferior maxillary previous 

 to its division, is intimately connected at its origin with the otic ganglion. It is a 

 long and slender branch, which passes inward to enter the deep surface of the 

 Internal pterygoid muscle. 



The anterior and smaller division, which receives nearly the whole of the 

 motor root, divides into branches which supply the remaining muscles of masti- 

 cation. They are the masseteric, deep temporal, buccal, and external pterygoid. 



The masseteric branch passes outward, above the External pterygoid muscle, 

 in front of the temporo-maxillary articulation, and crosses the sigmoid notch with 

 the masseteric artery to the Masseter muscle, in which it ramifies nearly as far as 

 its anterior border. It occasionally gives a branch to the Temporal muscle and 

 a filament to the articulation of the jaw. 



The deep temporal branches supply the deep surface of the Temporal muscle. 

 The posterior branch, of small size, is placed at the back of the temporal fossa. 

 It is sometimes joined with the masseteric branch. The anterior branch is 



