478 AURICULAR OR OTIC GANGLION. 



the raucous membrane surrounding it, and another to the 

 membrane surrounding the margin of the foramen ovale. 

 Whilst in the bony structure of the promontory it gives off 

 several filaments through canals in the bone ; viz. several 

 filaments of communication pass through the osseous wall of 

 the carotid canal to unite with the carotid plexus of the "sym- 

 pathetic ; others form a junction with the vidian or chorda 

 tympani nerve. A filament from the pneumogastric (the 

 tympanic) anastomoses with it, either before or after its entry 

 into the cavity of the tympanum. A filament is sent off from it 

 in the direction of the Eustachian tube, and another branch is 

 occasionally met with, between this nerve and the portio 

 dura, which Breschet is disposed to think is continuous with 

 the pars media of the seventh pair of nerves. Many minute 

 blood-vessels accompany these branches. See fig. 205. 

 The auricular ganglion of Arnold, is small, though more 

 than double the size of the ophthalmic, and is ash-colored and 

 pulpy like those of the sympathetic nerve. It is situated in 

 advance of the ganglion of Gasser, on the lower surface of 

 the inferior maxillary nerve at the inner margin of the fora- 

 men ovale of the sphenoid bone. The existence of this 

 ganglion may readily be detected by any one skilled in minute 

 dissection. 



It is united by short nervous roots, and cellular tissue to 

 the third branch of the fifth pair of nerves. Besides the 

 branches mentioned as coming from the auricular ganglion, 

 Arnold, Breschet, and others, describe branches of communi- 

 cation which pass from it ; one to the superior cervical ganglion 

 of the sympathetic along the tract of the arteria meningea 

 magna, one which passes into the internal auditory meatus to 

 anastomose with the auditory nerve, as well as other branches 

 which unite with filaments of the fifth and facial nerves. I 

 have not as yet been able to trace these filaments with entire 

 satisfaction, and those who have attempted to follow minute 

 nervous fibrils through bony parts can well appreciate the 

 difficulties of the undertaking. The German anatomists in 

 general, consider this ganglion, as well as the ophthalmic, 



