120 SURGICAL APPLIED A.VATO.VY. [Ch:,p. vm. 



mouth. On the floor of the mouth, and on either side 

 of the franium linguae, can be observed a small papilla 

 indicating the orifice of Wharton's duct. The duct of 

 Bartholin (one of the ducts of the sublingual gland) 

 runs along the last part of Wharton's duct, and opens 

 either with it or very near it. Wharton's duct is 

 singularly indistensible, and hence is partly explained 

 the intense pain usually observed when that duct 

 is obstructed by a calculus. The near proximity of 

 this duct to the lingual nerve may serve also to 

 account for the pain in some cases. The submaxillary 

 gland can be made out through the mucous membrane 

 at a point a little in front of the angle of the jaw, 

 especially when the gland is pressed up from the 

 outside. On the floor of the mouth, between the 

 alveolus and the anterior part of the tongue, is a 

 well-marked ridge of mucous membrane, that is 

 directed obliquely forwards and inwards to the 

 Whartonian papilla near the frsenum. It indicates 

 the position of the sublingual gland, and also, so far 

 as it goes, the line of Wharton's duct and the lingual 

 nerve. These structures lie beneath the gland, which 

 is itself covered only by the mucous membrane. 

 The ducts of the sublingual gland, some ten to 

 twenty in number, open into the mouth along the 

 ridge of mucous membrane just referred to. Ranula, 

 a cystic tumour filled with mucous contents, is often 

 met with over the site of the sublingual gland, and 

 is due to the dilatation of one of the gland ducts 

 that has become obstructed, or to an occluded mucous 

 follicle. The mucous membrane of the floor of the 

 mouth, as it passes forwards to be reflected on the 

 gums, is attached near to the upper border of the 

 jaw. The genio-hyo-glossus is attached near the 

 lower border. Between these two parts (the mucous 

 membrane and the muscle) there is, according to 

 Tillaux, a small space lined with squamous epithelium. 



