have stimulated a widespread interest in the subject of suppuration of the petrous pyramid during the past few years. As far back as 1904 Mouret1 carried out systematic anatomic studies on the petrous pyramid. At that time he evidenced his understanding of infection of the petrous tip. He stated that "if the cellular arrangement favors an infection of the mastoid process in the presence of suppuration of the middle ear and facilitates the retention of pus in that part of the temporal bone, it is easy to understand how the pus can be extended into the perilabyrinthine cells and cause necrosis of the petrous pyramid."A series of 200 temporal bones were studied in 100 autopsies. These bones were studied in their normal position and relationship within the skull with the brain intact and also after they were excised. A better understanding of the cell groupings or arrangements of the petrous pyramid can be obtained by studying this part of the bone both in situ and after removal and by means of roentgenography and gross sections after removal. The cellular structure of both the mastoid and the petrous portions was noted. In addition dyes were introduced into the apex of the removed petrous bones to ascertain whether the dye would pass through one or more groups of cells. Sodium iodide and iodized poppy-seed oil 40 per cent were used with the roentgenographic studies but were found to be of no special value. The channels of pneumatization were further studied and in many instances recorded by means of photographs. The nerves and vessels in proximity to the petrous apex were studied. It was hoped thus to secure a better understanding of the various clinical pictures and syn¬ dromes which have been observed in involvement of the petrous pyramid as a complication of mastoiditis. At the same time various operations From the Department of Otolaryngology, Kings County Hospital. 1. Mouret, J.: Nouvelle recherches sur les cellules petreuses, Rev. hebd. de laryngol. 25:753 (Dec. 24) 1904. Downloaded From: http://archotol.jamanetwork.com/ by a Western University User on 06/09/2015

This paper is based on a study of 114 lateral nasal walls of adult heads in the fresh state. The position, size, shape and relations of the maxillary ostium were noted. Special attention was paid to its accessibility for sounding and for irrigation. The presence of accessory ostia was sought for and noted.The situation of the ostium in the posterior portion of the infundibulum ethmoidale where the bulla tapers away on the upper side and the uncinate on the lower side makes it desirable to know these structures, all of which are located under cover of the middle turbinate. THE UNCINATE PROCESSThe uncinate process of the ethmoid bone is a fine, thin, delicate bony process originating from the anterior medial aspect of the ethmoid labyrinth. It is covered by the middle turbinate and is in relation to the medial and posterior surface of the lacrimal bone. Its length is given by Schaeffer1 as from 15 to 20 cm. In this study the shortest was 14 mm. and the longest 22 mm. This structure curves downward, backward and laterally, its crescentic curve being parallel to that of the bulla.The uncinate process constitutes the convex downward side of the hiatus semilunaris. It covers part of the hiatus maxillaris, and it articulates with one or more ethmoidal processes of the inferior turbinate bone.The bony uncinate process turns upward behind the posterior end of the infundibulum, frequently causing a slight depression. When covered with mucous membrane, this upward end is not prominent.The lower posterior end is usually quite prominent, however.

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Cysts of the larynx occur less frequently than the literature of thirty or forty years ago would indicate. There is no doubt that polypi of various kinds were included when cysts were considered at that time.One can appreciate this, for even at the present time the classification of benign neoplasms of the larynx is not well understood. Cysts do, however, occur more frequently than textbooks and current literature would lead one to believe.The first laryngeal cyst on record was encountered by Verneuil1 in the cadaver of an infant in 1852. Durham 2 was probably the first to observe a cyst in a living person. In 1863, he operated on a large cyst which sprang from the laryngeal surface of the epiglottis in a boy 11 years of age. Gibb 3 removed a cystic growth from the vocal cord of a patient in the same year. Of 693 laryngeal tumors which Beschorner 4 reviewed in 1877, 45 were cystic tumors. The first large series of instances of laryngeal cyst, 117 in number, were collected by Moure 5 in 1881. Ullrich6 included 156 cases in his paper a few years later.Since then there have been several fine articles on this subject, notably those of Salomon,7 Glas,8 Schneider,9 Marx10 and New.11 Instructive case reports and short articles have been written by several laryn¬ gologiste. Some have seen many cases, while others have seen only a few.