322 MR. BELL ON THE NERVES OF THE FACE. 



tomy of the motor portion of the nerve traced with sufficient minuteness, or 

 regard to the distinct uses of the muscular and sensitive divisions. 



The motor division of the fifth nerve passes under the Gasserian ganglion, 

 and free of it. It is not seen when we look from above, as in the plates of 

 Monro. When the nerve is turned up and dissected, this portion is seen to 

 form about a fifth part of the whole nerve. It is tied to the larger portion 

 before advancing to the ganglion, by filaments which have been sometimes 

 taken for nerves. 



Having passed the ganglion, it attaches itself slightly to the superior max- 

 illary nerve, but this is apparently a membranous connection only*. The 

 nerve itself joins the third grand division after passing the foramen ovale. 

 At this point the muscular and sensitive portions of the nerves are matted 

 together, and form a mass which between the fingers feels like a knot-|-. There 

 is, however, no red and fleshy-like matter interposed here, as in the Gasserian 

 ganglion of the trunk of the nerve. But the filaments of both portions of the 

 nerve are here so complexly and intimately combined, that all the branches 

 which go olF after this union are compound nerves, and have motor filaments 

 in their composition. 



It is, however, equally obvious that the gustatory division of the nei^ve which 

 descends from this mass, has not the muscular portion given to it in that 

 abundance which those branches have which take their course to the muscles 

 of the jaws. The mandibulo-labralis, which also descends from this plexus, 

 lies nearer the motor portion, and has a more distinct addition given to it 

 than the gustatory nerve. 



This motor or muscular portion which we are tracing, sends off no branch 

 either in its course under the great ganglion, or after passing it about half an 

 inch. But when it has arrived at the point of union with the ganglionic por- 

 tion, the filaments become interwoven ; and from this place the nerves are 



• Gerardi, commenting on Santorini, says that the anterior root (the motor) does give filaments 

 to the superior maxiUary division of the fifth. Prochaska (de Structura Nervorum) gives two views, 

 Tab. ii. fig. v. vi. which represent an actual union of the anterior root and the superior maxillary 

 nerve. In the plate, however, the twigs seem rather to go from the ganglionic into the motor 

 division. 



f Santorini says, it is a plexus like a ganglion, " in plexum vere ganglioformem mutatur." 



