132 



THE NOSE. 



thicker than the posterior, is united with the edge of the cartilage of the septum 

 above, but is separated therefrom by a small fissure below. The posterior edge is 

 closely attached to the free margins of the upper maxilla and of the nasal bone, 

 and the inferior margin is connected by fibrous membrane with the lower lateral 



Fig. 150. FRONT VIEW OF THE 



CARTILAGES OF THE NOSE. (Modified 



from Arnold.) 



cartilage ; and there are often 

 small portions of cartilage 

 (cartilagines epactiles] lying in 

 the fibrous tissue in this situa- 

 tion. 



The lower lateral cartilages 

 or cartilages of the aperture 

 (figs. 141), 150, 151) are 

 thinner than the preceding, 

 below which they are placed, 

 and are characterised by their 

 peculiar curved form. Each 

 consists of an elongated plate, 

 so bent upon itself as to pass 

 in front and on each side of 

 the nostril to which it belongs, 

 and by this arrangement serve 

 to keep it open. The outer 

 portion is somewhat oval and 

 flattened, or irregularly con- 

 vex externally. Behind, it is 

 attached to the margin of the upper maxilla by tough fibrous membrane, enclosed 

 in which there is usually to be met with either a prolongation backwards of the 

 posterior angle of the cartilage, or two or three separate cartilaginous nodules 

 (cartilag. minores vel quadrate) (figs. 149, 150) ; above, it is fixed, also by fibrous 

 membrane, to the upper lateral cartilage, and to the lower and fore part of the 



nasal bone 



cartilage of sept inn 



upper lateral cartilages 



-f-. .. minor cartilages 

 &$--- cartilaae of aner, 



cartilage of aperture 

 - subcutaneous tissue of ala 



cartilage of aperture 



minor cartilage 



cartilage of septum 



minor cartilage 



cartilage of Jacobson 



subcutaneous tissue 



Fig. 151. VlEW OF THE CARTILAGES OF THE 



NOSE FROM BELOW. (Modified from 

 Arnold. ) 



cartilage of the septum. Towards 

 the middle line it is curved back- 

 wards (fig. 151), bounding a deep 

 median groove, at the bottom of 

 which it meets with its fellow of 

 the opposite side, and continues to 

 pass backwards, lying in the upper 

 part of the columna nasi, below the 

 level of the cartilage of the septum. This inner part of the cartilage of the aperture 

 is thick and narrow, curls outwards, and ends in a free rounded margin which 

 projects outwards. The ala of the nose, like the lobule of the ear, is formed of 

 thickened skin with subjacent tissue, and is unsupported by cartilage. 



The cartilage of. the septum (fig. 152) is quadrilateral in form, and is thicker 

 at the edges than near the centre. It is placed nearly vertically in the median plane 

 of the nose, but often with an inclination to one or other side, and completes, at the 



