Chap, ix.] THE NECK. 137 



haemorrhages, and soon died. The autopsy showed 

 that the stem of the pipe, which had not been missed 

 by the patient, had divided the ascending pharyn- 

 geal artery (St. Bart.'s Hosp. Reports, 1876). 



The tonsil is often the seat of malignant growths. 

 Such tumours have been removed through the mouth, 

 but are more conveniently dealt with through an in- 

 cision in the neck along the anterior edge of the sterno- 

 mastoid (Cheever's operation). 



CHAPTER IX. 



THE NECK. 



Surface anatomy ; bony points. The hyoid 

 bone is on a level with the fourth cervical vertebra, 

 while the cricoid cartilage is opposite the sixth. The 

 upper margin of the sternum is on a level with the 

 disc between the second and third dorsal vertebrae. 

 (See page 171.) At the back of the neck there is a 

 slight depression in the middle line which descends 

 from the occipital protuberance, and lies between the 

 prominences formed by the trapezius and complexus 

 muscles of the two sides. At the upper part of this 

 depression the spine of the axis can be made out on 

 deep pressure. Below this, the bony ridge formed by 

 the spines of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth cervical 

 vertebrae can be felt, but the individual spines cannot 

 visually be distinguished. At the root of the neck the 

 spinous process of the vertebra prominens is generally 

 very obvious. The transverse process of the atlas may 

 be felt just below and in front of the tip of the mastoid 

 process. By deep pressure in the upper part of the 

 supraclavicular fossa, the transverse process of the 

 seventh cervical vertebra can be distinguished. If 



