PALATE WE. pilaf, from Lat. polatom, Otis, palate• roof of the mouth). The palate forms the roof of the mouth. and consist- of two portions, the bard palate in front and the soft palate behind. The framework of the / ord pabitc is formed by the palate process of the superior maxillary bone, and by tl e horizontal process of the palate bone, and is bounded in front and at the sides by the alveolar arch-, and gun s. and posteriorly it is ns with the soft palate. It is covered by a dense struc ture formed by tht periosteum and mile( us mem brane of the month, which are 11,1111 rent. the middle line is a linear ridge or raphe. on either side of which the mucous n brane is thick. pale, and corruotetl. wok be hind it is thin, of a darker tint. and snot. alt. This men brane is covered with seah epithelim. and is furnished with numerous follicle. the palatal !dands I. Tie stilt pilati is it minable fold of mucous men brane inclosing muscular and suspended from the posterior border of the hard palate so as to form an lure mplete septum between the mouth and the pharynx: it_ sides beinr blot tied with the pharynx. while its lower border is free. When Oleupyii g its usual position I that is to say, when the muscular tilt, s contziined in it are relaxed), its antu ri r surf ee is concave: and when its muscles are called into action. in .wallowing a mor.v1 of I od. it is raised and mad( tense. and the food is tl pre vented from passing into the posterior n r s. and is at the same time dire( tell oblique ly blekmard and downward into the pharynx. Hanging from the middle of the soft palate's lower border is a small conical pendulous process, the uvula; and passing outward from the uvula on each side are ttto curved folds of mucous membrane con taining nmseular fibres, and ealled the arches or pillars of the soft palate. The anterior pillar is continued downward to the side of the base of the tongue. and is formed by the projection of the Nth:to-glossas muscle. The posterior pillar is larger than the anterior, and runs downward and backward to the side of the pharynx. The anterior and posterior pillars are closely united alcove. hut are separated below by an angular interval. in which the tonsil of either side is lodged. The tonsils (antyydakr) are glandular organs of a rounded form. which vary eonsider ably in size in different individuals. They are composed of an assemblage of mucous follicles intermingled with diffuse adenoid tissue and cov ered by a mucous membrane. The follicles se erete a thick. grayish matter, and open on the swim ... of the gland by numerous (12 to 15) orifices.
The space left between the arches of the palate on the two sides is called the isthmus of the fences. It is bounded above by the free margin
of the palate, below by the tongue, and on each side by the pillars of the soft palate and tonsils.
As the upper lip may he fissured through itn perfect development (in which ease it presents the condition known as the hare-lip), so also may there be more or less decided fissure of the palate. In the slightest form of this affection the uvula merely is fissured, while in extreme eases the cleft extends through both the soft and hard palate as far forward as the lips, and is then often combined with hare-lip. When the fissure is considerable, it materially interferes with the acts of sucking and swallowing, and the infant runs a great risk of being starved; and if the child grows np, its articulation is painfully indistinct. When the fissure is con fined to the soft palate, repeated cauterization of the angle of the fissure has sometimes been found sullieient to effect a cure by means of the contraction that follows each burn. As a general rule, however, the child is allowed to reach the age of five or six years without intervention, when the operation of slophylorrhaphy (suture of the soft parts) is performed. If the fissure involves the hard palate as well as the soft palate, that structure is also repaired at the same time, the operation being known atii urano plasty. Acute inflammation] of the tonsils is treated of in the article QUINSY.
Chronic. enlargement of the tonsils is very fre quent in children and the adolescent, and is not infrequently met with in adults. Its usual symptoms in children are muffled speech, ob struction in breathing. and a disposition to acute attacks of tonsillitis. Deafness occasionally is present both in ehildren and adults from pres sure of the enlarged tonsils upon the openings of the Eustachian tubes. The condition of chronic tonsillitis is to be met by general meas ures designed to improve the tone and nutrition I if the individual. such as an open-air life and the use of such tonics as iron and cod-liver oil. When the symptoms of enlarged tonsils are espe cially noticeable and the general health is suffer ing, the organs should be removed by surgical measures.
The uvula is subject to relaxation or elonga lion. When this occurs the appendage is found to be more or less (edematous and protruding dimnward toward by its irritation. it often gives rise to a constant tick ling cough. The condition is usually relieved by astringent applications and gargles. Where these fail to relieve the condition, the excess must be cut away by the surgeon.