THE PALATE. THE TONSILS. 813 



THE PALATE. 



The roof of the mouth is formed by the palate, which consists of two por- 

 tions ; the fore part being named the hard palate, and the back part, the 

 soft palate. 



The osseous framework of the hard palate, already described with the 

 bones of the faco, is covered by the periosteum, and by the lining membrane 

 of the mouth, which adhere intimately together. The mucous membrane, 

 which is continuous with that of the gums, is thick, dense, rather pale, and 

 much corrugated, especially in front aud at the sides ; but is smoother, 

 thinner, and of a deeper colour behind. Along the middle line is a ridge or 

 raphe, ending in front in a small eminence, which corresponds with the lower 

 opening of the anterior palatine canal, and receives the terminal filaments of 

 the naso-palatine and anterior palatine nerves. The membrane of the hard 

 palate is provided with many muciparous glands, which form a continuous 

 layer between the membrane and the bone, and it is covered with a squamous 

 epithelium. 



The soft palate (velum pendulum palati), is formed of a doubling of mucous 

 membrane inclosing muscular fibres and numerous glands. It constitutes an 

 incomplete and moveable partition between the mouth aud the pharynx, con- 

 tinued from the posterior border of the hard palate, obliquely downwards and 

 backwards. Its form and its inferior connections, bounding the isthmus of 

 the fauces, have been already described, together with the muscles which 

 enter into its composition, at p. 189. 



The anterior or under surface of the velum, which is visible in the mouth, 

 is concave. The mucous membrane, continuous with that of the hard palate, 

 is thinner and darker than it, and is covered like it with scaly epithelium. 

 The median ridge or raphe, which is continued backwards from the hard 

 palate to the base of the uvula, indicates the original separation of the velum 

 into two lateral halves. 



The posterior surface of the soft palate, slightly convex or arched, is con- 

 tinuous above with the floor of the posterior nares. It is slightly elevated 

 along the middle line, opposite to the uvula. The greater portion of its 

 mucous membrane, as well as that of the free margin of the velum, is covered 

 with a squamous epithelium ; but quite at its upper portion, near the orifice 

 of the Eustachian tube, the epithelium is columnar and ciliated. 



On both surfaces of the velum are found numerous small glands, called 

 the palatine glands. They particularly abound on the upper surface, where 

 they form quite a glandular layer ; they are also very abundant in the 

 uvula. 



THE TONSILS. 



The tonsils (tonsillse, amygdalae) are two prominent bodies, which occupy 

 the recesses formed, one on each side of the fauces, between the anterior and 

 posterior palatine arches and the pillars of the fauces. 



They are usually about six lines in length, and four in width and thick- 

 ness ; but they vary much in size in different individuals. 



The outer side of the tonsil is connected with the inner surface of the 

 superior constrictor of the pharynx, and approaches very near to the internal 

 carotid artery. Considered in relation to the surface of the neck, the tonsil 

 corresponds to the angle of the lower jaw, where it may be felt beneath the 

 skin when it is enlarged. Its inner surface, projecting into the fauces 



