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302 . ANATOMY. —
The Naso-palatine Branch (nerve of Cotumnius, Scarpa) is larger
than the upper nasal branches, and is an important division of the nasal
nerves. It is long and slender, and arises from the proximal surface
of the spheno-palatine ganglion. It passes through the spheno-palatine
foramen across the roof of the nasal chamber to the septum, where it
turns downward and forward, and extends in a groove or canal on the
vomer to the foramina of Scarpa or naso-palatine foramina. These are
two in number, anterior and posterior, and are situated in the inter-
maxillary suture. The nerve of the right side usually passes through
the posterior foramen, while the nerve of the left side passes through
the anterior. These two nerves (right and left naso-palatine), meeting
in the common or anterior palatine meatus or canal, form a tine plexus,
from which minute filaments are distributed to the palate posterior to
the incisor teeth and interlace with the anterior or great palatine nerve.
" In its course along the septum small filaments are furnished from the
naso-palatine to the pituitary membrane." ^
The Poderior Branches generally assume the name of the Vidian
nerve (already described) and the pharyngeal nerve.
The Pharyngeal or Pterygo-palatine Nerve consists of several fine
filaments which frequently arise from the Vidian nerve, instead of from
the posterior portion of the ganglion. It passes downward through
the ])terygo-palatine canal, accompanied by an artery of the same name,
and is distributed to the mucous membrane of the upper portion of the
pharynx and neighborhood of the Eustachian tube.

Otic Ganglion.
The otic ganglion (ganglion of Arnold) (Fig. 147) is a reddish-gray
body situated just below the foramen ovale, and in close apposition to
the proximal surface of the inferior maxillary nerve at the point of
union of its motor root with the third sensory division arising from the
Gasserian ganglion, the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube
to its inner surface, while the middle meningeal artery passes up into the
brain-case just posterior to it. It is a flattened oval body, its widest
diameter, which is about one-sixth of an inch, being antero-posterior.
Its branches or roots of comnuinication are
1 The Long or Sensory Boot of Arnold is composed of the lesser super-
ficial petrosal nerve, which is a continuation of the tympanic branch of
the gl()Sso-])haryngeal, and a branch from the geniculate ganglion of the
seventh. The ganglion also receives an important sensory branch from
the auriculo-temporal nerve of the fifth.
2. The Motor or SItort Boot of Arnold is derived from the internal
pterygoid branch of the inferior maxillary division of the fifth. It also
receives motor filaments through the lesser superficial petrosal derived
from the geniculate ganglion of the seventh nerve.
3. The Sympathetic Boot, which is derivecl from the plexus around
the middle meningeal artery.
The branches of distribution of the otic ganglion supply in part the
^ Quain'ij Anatomy.