198 HEAD AND NECK 



Rami Dorsales Lingua. The dorsales linguae branches 

 are generally two or more in number. They pass upwards, 

 under cover of the hyoglossus muscle, to end in twigs to the 

 mucous membrane covering the pharyngeal part of the dorsum 

 of the tongue. Some twigs are supplied also to the muscular 

 substance of the organ, and a few may be traced backwards 

 into the palatine tonsil. 



Arteria Sublingualis. The sublingual artery springs from 

 the end of the second part of the lingual artery and emerges 

 from under cover of the anterior border of the hyoglossus ; 

 then it ascends, upon the genio-glossus, to the sublingual 

 gland, which it supplies. It gives branches to the surround- 

 ing muscles ; and it anastomoses with its fellow of the 

 opposite side and, through the mylo-hyoid muscle, with the 

 submental branch of the external maxillary artery. 



Arteria Profunda Lingua. The deep artery of the tongue 

 ascends almost vertically, upon the genio-glossus, overlapped 

 by the anterior border of the hyoglossus ; when it reaches 

 the under surface of the tongue, it runs towards the tip and 

 ends in terminal branches. To expose it divide the mucous 

 membrane along its course ; then it will be seen to lie close 

 to the attachment of the frenum of the tongue, and to 

 be continued forwards in the interval between the genio- 

 glossus and the inferior longitudinal muscle. Its course 

 is tortuous, to allow for the protrusion or elongation of the 

 tongue ; and it gives off numerous branches. 



Venae Linguales. The lingual artery may be accompanied 

 by two small venae comites which lie beside it under cover of 

 the hyoglossus; but the main vein of the tongue crosses 

 the lateral surface of the hyoglossus below the hypoglossal 

 nerve ; and another smaller vein, the vena comitans hypoglossi, 

 runs backwards above the hypoglossal nerve. At the posterior 

 border of the hyoglossus the lingual vein is joined by the 

 vena comitans hypoglossi and the venae comites of the artery, 

 if they are present ; then it passes backwards to end either in 

 the common facial vein or the internal jugular vein. 



Ligamentum Stylohyoideum. The stylo-hyoid ligament is 

 the last structure to be examined in this dissection. It is a 

 fibrous cord which springs from the tip of the styloid process 

 and passes antero-inferiorly to be attached, under cover of 

 the hyoglossus muscle, to the lesser cornu of the hyoid 

 bone. It is not uncommon to find it partially ossified ; in 



