452 SPHENO-PALATINE AND OTHER NERVES OF THE NOSE. 



brushes, which lie in contact with each other. On the opposite 

 sides, the different ramifications unite, so as to form a plexus. 



Dr. Soemmering has published some very elegant engravings 

 of the nose, representing one of his dissections, which appears 

 to have been uncommonly minute and successful.* These 

 represent the ramifications as becoming more expanded and 

 delicate in the progress towards their terminations, and as 

 observing a tortuous course, with very short meandering 

 flexures. 



It is to be observed that the ramifications of the olfactory 

 nerve, thus arranged, do not extend to the bottom of the cavity. 

 On the external side, they are not traced lower than the lower 

 edge of the etbmoid, or of the superior spongy bone: and on 

 the septum, they do not extend to the bottom, although they 

 are lower than the opposite side. On the parts of the mem- 

 brane not occupied by the branches of the olfactory nerves, 

 several other nerves can be traced. The nasal twig of the 

 ophthalmic branch of the fifth pair, after passing from the orbit 

 into the cavity of the cranium, proceeds to the nasal cavity on 

 each side by a foramen of the cribriform plate ; and after send- 

 ing off some fibrillae, descends upon the anterior part of the 

 septum to the point of the nose. The spheno-palatine nerve, 

 which is derived from the second branch of the fifth pair, and 

 enters the nose by the spheno-palatine foramen, is spread upon 

 the lower part of the septum and of the opposite side of the 

 nose also, and transmits a branch through a canal in the fora- 

 men incisivum to the mouth. Several small branches also pass 

 to the nose from the palatine and other nerves; but those 

 already mentioned are the most important. 



A question has been proposed, whether the olfactory nerve 

 is exclusively concerned in the function of smelling, or whether 

 the other nerves above mentioned are also concerned in it. It 

 seems probable that this function is exclusively performed by 

 the olfactory nerve, and that the other nerves are like the 

 ophthalmic branch of the fifth pair, with respect to the optic 



* They are entitled, Icones Organorum Humanorum Olfactus. 



