THE HEAD AND NECK, POSTERIOR. 149 



foramen with the sphenopalatine branch of Meckel's gan- 

 glion. The artery and nerve are distributed to the outer 

 wall and the septum of the nose. The septal branch of 

 the artery anastomoses in front with the anterior palatine 

 artery, which runs along the roof of the mouth and turns 

 up through the transversely paired foramen (Stenson's). 



The nasal nerve (see page 56) enters the nose through 

 the nasal slit with the anterior ethmoidal artery. The 

 nerve supplies branches to the outer wall and the septum 

 of the nose. The posterior ethmoidal artery enters the 

 nasal cavity posterior to the nasal slit, and with the anterior 

 is distributed to the upper part of the internal and ex- 

 ternal nasal wall. 



DISSECTION. 



With the bone cutters or a chisel carefully remove the bone surrounding the 

 sphenopalatine foramen, the orbital process of the palate, and the body of the 

 sphenoid until the foramen rotundum is reached and the superior maxillary 

 nerve is exposed. Beneath the nerve as it is crossing the sphenomaxillary 

 fossa is the small ganglion of Meckel, or the sphenomaxillary ganglion. 



In the sphenomaxillary fossa the internal maxillary artery divides into nu- 

 merous branches. See page 122. 



After finding the ganglion, its large posterior branch (the Vidian nerve) 

 should be followed back to and through the Vidian canal (by cutting away the 

 bone as necessary). 



The various branches of the ganglion will have to be followed in the same 

 way by removing piecemeal the bone covering them. 



Finish this specimen by tracing the superior maxillary nerve through the 

 infra-orbital groove and canal and out through the foramen to the exterior of 

 the face, also its dental branches. In this dissection the antrum of Highmore 

 is opened and should be studied from the descriptions of the bones in a dry 

 state. 



The Superior Maxillary Nerve. Figs. 10, n. 



This is the second branch from the front of the Gasserian 

 ganglion of the fifth cranial nerve. 



It leaves the skull through the foramen rotundum and 

 enters the sphenomaxillary fossa. Continuing its course 



