Electro-physiology and electro-therapeutics : showing the best methods for the medical uses of electricity / By Alfred C. Garratt.
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tlic sigmoid notch, on its way to the masseter muscle, and this is called the temporo-maxillary neuralgic point. 9. The point of the temporal branch of the inferior maxillary nerve found between the articulation of the jaw and the anterior edge of the ear passage, which is called the temporo-auricular neuralgic point. 10. The point of the Ungual nerve branch is found where it emerges between the sub-lingual gland and the tongue, and is called the lingual neuralgic point. 11 and 12. There is one more vastly important point which I must here speak of and designate as the croion point of neural- gia ; but this does not strictly nor exclusively belong to the tri- facial nerve. This point (or limited region) is found at the interlacing between the last twigs of the frontal and the super- ficial £e»i/?ora/branches on the one side, with those of the greater and lesser occipital nerves on the other. This large spot lies over the sagittal suture, and almost directly above the parietal protuberance ; it was called by Dr. Valleix the " parietal pain- ful point." Thus we have noted the marked neuralgic points of the greatest sensitive nerve, in the whole human body. The great facial, or portio dura, is rather a motor nerve ; but it makes such numerous interlacings with the facial and the cervical, that it at one time bore the nickname of " nervus sym- patheticus minor.'" Its trunk first emerges from the stylo-mas- toid foramen and passes forward through the parotid gland, and at but a little under the ramus of the lower jaw it divides into two trunks, the temporo-facial and cervicofacial. These two trunks at once bifurcate into very numerous branches supplying the muscles of the face, forming loops mostly over the masseter muscle, and anastomosing with other nerves in its profuse rami- fications over the peripheral regions of the face from the temple to the neck. It is at its first division into the two main branches, and just where it comes out of the parotid gland, which we find is close along under the angle of the lower jaw, that it may be designated as the point most superficial of the facial nerve. This is the most reachable point in cases of paralysis of this nerve.