952 
the internal 
breadth to extend beyond its gees edge, 
and terminates in a tendon which winds round 
the hamular process; it is here retained in its 
situation by a small ligament and is surrounded 
by a synovial capsule to facilitate its mdve- 
ments. The tendon now alters its direction, 
for suddenly expanding into a thin but strong 
aponeurosis it spreads horizontally forwards and 
a little upwards to be inserted into the whole of 
the posterior border of the palatine process of 
the palate bone and into its posterior nasal 
spine, uniting with the tendon from the oppo- 
site side in the median line. It is in relation, 
so far as regards the vertical portion of the 
muscle, by its outer surface with the internal 
pterygoid, and by the inner with the internal 
pterygoid plate and the superior constrictor 
muscle of the pharynx. The horizontal tendons 
of these muscles form a firm aponeurotic ex- 
' pansion in the substance of the velum, which, 
when tightened by the contraction of the ver- 
tical muscular fibres, affords a powerful resisting 
surface to the upward pressure of the food while 
being thrust by the tongue through the isthmus. 
The levator palati or peristaphylinus internus 
(petro-staphylin. Chauss.) is a flat and narrow 
muscle, and commences by a thin tendinous 
and fleshy origin which is attached to the 
under rough surface of the petrous portion of 
the temporal bone and neighbouring part of the 
cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube on 
its inner side ; from thence it descends, resting 
upon the cephalo-pharyngeal aponeurosis, then 
slips beneath the upper edge of the superior 
constrictor muscle, and passes upon its internal 
surface to reach the palate; the muscle now 
takes a more horizontal direction inwards, and 
expanding spreads its fibres in the substance of 
the velum to unite with its fellow from the 
Opposite side in the median line, and is also 
inserted into the posterior border of the ex- 
panded tendon of the circumflexus palati. The 
insertions of the levator and circumflexus palati 
muscles on either side form a thin stratum, 
tendinous in front and muscular behind, 
through the whole extent of the soft palate. 
The levator palati in its vertical course is re- 
lated by its outer surface to the Eustachian 
tube and circumflexus palati muscle, from 
which latter it is soon separated by the supe- 
rior constrictor of the pharynx; it is covered 
internally by the pharyngeal aponeurosis and 
mucous membrane: it is an elevator of the 
pendulous portion of the soft palate. 
The palato-pharyngeus or pharyngo-staphy- 
linus consists of a delicate bundle of fibres 
contained in the fold of mucous membrane, 
known as the posterior pillar of the fauces; it 
expands upwards into the substance of the 
velum and downwards into the pharyngeal 
walls. The muscular fibres which spread in 
the velum are very delicate and mingled with 
those of the palato-glossus: they are situated 
immediately beneath the levator palati muscle 
and reach across the palate to join with fibres 
from the muscle of the opposite side in the 
middle line: some of the fibres are attached 
also to the posterior edge of the circumflexus 
pterygoid plate, but of sufficient 
PHARYNX. 
| 
palati tendon: arching over the upper and 
posterior margin of the tonsil they contract to 
descend as a thin bundle in the posterior pillar 
of the fauces, and again expanding pass into 
the lateral wall of the pharynx between the 
mucous membrane and constrictor muscles; 
here they meet with the fibres of the stylo- 
pharyngeus muscle and have an attachment 
with them to the posterior border of the thyroid 
cartilage and to the pharyngeal mucous mem- 
brane. The principal action of these muscles 
is to contract the isthmus faucium, which they 
can do superiorly almost to obliteration; they 
can scarcely have much effect in raising the 
pharynx ; if this latter be the fixed point, they 
may draw down the velum and so act as anta- 
gonists to the levatores palati. 7 
The palato-glossus, or constrictor isthmus 
faucium (glosso-staphylinus), occupies the an- 
terior pillar of the fauces and Roe its fibres 
in the velum with the palato-pharyngeus, then 
descends to expand upon the side of the tongue 
near its base, mingling its fibres with the stylo- 
glossus muscle. They may either act upon 
the velum by depressing it or raise the sides of 
the tongue to it. joe 
Azygos uvule or palato-staphylinus is a slen- 
der fusiform muscle, or rather a pair of muscles 
lying side by side: a narrow slip of tendon — 
attached to the posterior nasal spine gives” 
origin to the muscular fibres, which d 
backwards and downwards in the middle line, 
resting upon the circumflexus and levator palati 
muscles, and are lost in the substance of the 
uvula, which organ they shorten, 7 
The thickness of the soft palate is mainly 
dependent on a dense mass of small glands, a 
continuation in short of the series already de- 
scribed as occupying the structure of the pal 
tine membrane. They form an extremely thick 
layer anteriorly, but as the velum thins to 
posterior free border, so these glands becom 
the more scattered as they are traced backwards; 
they lie between the muscles and the mucous — 
membrane investing the under surface of th 
velum; a few also are scattered beneath 
mucous membrane covering its upper s 
and a larger proportion of them in the sul 
stance of the uvula, its bulk being chiel 
formed by them. 4 
The tonsils or amygdale (apvydurca) @ 
lodged in the interval between the pillars” 
the fauces : they are almond-shaped, with th 
larger extremities directed upwards, but va 
in size in different individuals. They app 
to consist of an assemblage of mucous glan 
whose excretory ducts terminate in small 5 
that are imbedded in the substance of the ton: 
and which open by larger or smaller orifit 
upon the surface of the mucous membr 
hen the tonsils are inflamed these sacs ex) 
a whitish secretion, which has some resembla 
to an ulcer on their surface. The palato-glos 
descends in front of and the palato-pharyngt 
behind these organs; they are supported € 
ternally by the superior constrictor muscle, 
are covered upon their internal surface by @ 
mucous membrane of the mouth. In imi 
matory enlargements of the tonsil it is slosel 
