THE FAUCES AND PALATE. 501 



tongue, the posterior pillars, on the sides of the pharynx ; between 

 the two pillars, on each side, is a depression, in which are lodged the 

 soft, projecting, oval, or almond-shaped, somewhat rugose, glandular 

 bodies, named the amygdalce (almonds), or tonsils. These bodies pre- 

 sent a number of follicular depressions, the sides of which are sur- 

 rounded by small closed spherical sacs, analogous to those of the so- 

 called Peyer's patches in the intestines ; they have thickish walls, 

 lined by an epithelium, and contain a tenacious grayish-white secre- 

 tion; sometimes they open on the surface. 



The mucous membrane of the under surface of the soft palate is 

 covered with a squamous epithelium, and possesses numerous compound 

 racemose mucous glands. The mucous membrane of the upper surface, 

 turned towards the superior part of the pharynx, is continuous with 

 that of the nasal fossee, and, near the openings of the Eustachian tubes, 

 has a ciliated columnar epithelium. Between the two layers of mucous 

 membrane, which join at the free border of the soft palate, are found, 

 besides areolar tissue, bloodvessels, lymphatics, and nerves, a num- 

 ber of symmetrical muscles, by means of which the soft, pendent, 

 valve-like palate, is rapidly moved in various directions. Thus, the 

 palate and uvula are raised by the levator palati, a thin sheet of mus- 

 cular substance, which descends from the petrous part of the temporal 

 bone, and from the Eustachian tube, to the back of the soft palate ; 

 moreover, two small auxiliary muscles descend within the uvula, con- 

 stituting together the so-called azygos uvulce muscle, which elevates 

 the uvula. Descending from the pterygoid processes of the sphenoid 

 bone, and from the Eustachian tube, on each side, is a muscle, termi- 

 nating below in a little tendon, which turns beneath the hamidar. or 

 hooked-like end of the pterygoid process, and so, changing its direc- 

 tion, spreads out towards the middle line within the soft palate, and 

 unites with its fellow of the opposite side. This muscle, acting from 

 its point of reflection over the hamular process, tightens and spreads 

 out the soft palate, hence its name, circumflexus, or tensor palati. The 

 two pillars of the fauces, on each side, likewise contain small muscles ; 

 those within the anterior pillars are named, from descending to the 

 tongue, the palato-glossi muscles; and those within the posterior pil- 

 lars, from passing to the sides of the pharynx, the palato-pJiaryngei 

 muscles. These muscles draw the soft palate downwards, and either 

 backwards or forwards, in the direction of the tongue or palate ; by 

 their joint action on the two sides, they also contract the aperture 

 of the fauces to a triangular fissure, which can then be completely 

 closed by the uvula. By the variously combined actions of the sur- 

 rounding muscles, the fauces can be closed, whether the palate be 

 drawn upwards or downwards. By the approximation of the posterior 

 pillars to the uvula, and by the simultaneous elevation of the palate, 

 the middle part of the pharynx can be shut off from its upper part, so 

 that this latter, Or the respiratory, portion, which communicates with 

 the nasal fossae, is separated from the middle part, through which the 

 food has to descend. 



In the first stage of deglutition, the lower jaw is raised, the mouth is 

 closed, and its cavity made smaller ; the mass of food, sufficiently 



