THE PHAR YNX \ 231 



The facial nerve passes through the gland, and inflammation or tuberculosis of the gland 

 may cause facial palsy. Some enlargements of the parotid region are due to inflammation of 

 the parotid lymph nodes, and these nodes may become tuberculous. 



Mumps is characterized by acute inflammation of the parotid gland. 



Various tumors occur in the parotid (fibroma, sarcoma, carcinoma, enchondroma, etc.). 

 Most parotid tumors contain more or less cartilage. Complete extirpation of the parotid gland 

 surgically is certainly extremely difficult, and Treves and others maintain that it is impossible 



THE PHARYNX (Figs. 950, 951). 



The pharynx is that part of the alimentary canal which is placed behind, and 

 communicates with the nose, mouth, and larynx. It is a musculomembranous 

 tube, somewhat conical in form, with the base upward and the apex downward, 

 extending from the under surface of the skull to the level of the cricoid cartilage 

 in front and that of the sixth cervical vertebra behind. 



The cavity of the pharynx (cavum pharyngis] is about four inches and a half 

 in length, and broader in the transverse than in the antero-posterior diameter. 

 Its greatest breadth is opposite the cornua of the hyoid bone; its narrowest part 

 is at its termination in the oesophagus. It is attached, above, to the periosteum of 

 the petrous portion of the temporal bone and of the basilar process of the occipital 

 bone. To the pharyngeal tubercle of the basilar process of the occipital bone 

 the raphe of the Constrictor muscles is attached. It is limited above by the body 

 of the sphenoid as well as by the basilar process of the occipital ; below, it is con- 

 tinuous with the oesophagus; posteriorly, it is connected by loose 'areolar tissue 

 with the cervical portion of the vertebral column and the Longus colli and Rectus 

 capitis anticus muscles; this areolar tissue is contained in what is called the retro- 

 pharyngeal space; anteriorly, it is incomplete, and is attached in succession to 

 the Eustachian tube, the internal pterygoid plate, the pterygomandibular liga- 

 ment, the posterior termination of the mylohyoid ridge of the mandible, the 

 mucous membrane of the mouth, the base of the tongue, hyoid bone, the thy- 

 roid and cricoid cartilages; laterally, it is connected to the styloid processes and 

 their muscles, and is in contact with the common and internal carotid arteries, 

 the internal jugular veins, and the glossopharyngeal, vagus, hypoglossal, and 

 sympathetic nerves, and above with a small part of the Internal pterygoid 

 muscles. Seven openings communicate with it viz., the two posterior nares, 

 the two Eustachian tubes, the mouth, larynx, and oesophagus. The cavity of 

 the pharynx may be subdivided from above downward into three parts nasal, 

 oral, and laryngeal. 



The Nasal Part, or Nasopharynx (pars nasalis pharyngis) (Fig. 950), lies behind 

 the nose and above the level of the soft palate; it differs from the two lower parts 

 of the tube in that its cavity always remains patent. In front it communicates 

 through the posterior nares (choanae) (Fig. 951) with the nasal fossae. On its 

 lateral wall is the pharyngeal orifice of the Eustachian tube (ostium pharyngeum 

 tubae auditivae] (Figs. 948 and 949), somewhat triangular in shape and bounded 

 behind by a firm prominence, the Eustachian cushion (torus tubarius], caused by 

 the inner extremity of the cartilage of the tube which elevates the mucous mem- 

 brane (Fig. 949). The orifice is about one-third to one-half inch behind the 

 inferior turbinated bone. A vertical fold of mucous membrane, the salpingo- 

 pharyngeal fold (plica salpingophar.yngea) (Fig. 949), stretches from the lower 

 part of the cushion to the pharynx; it contains the Salpingopharyngeus muscle. 

 A second and smaller fold, the salpingo palatine fold (plica salpingopalatina) (Fig. 

 949) stretches from the upper part of the cushion to the palate. Behind the orifice 

 of the Eustachian tube is a deep recess, the lateral recess or fossa of Rosenmuller 

 (recessus pharyngeus) (Fig. 949), which represents the remains of the upper part 



