BIOLOGY. 297 



1. In the act of deglutition, the alimentary mass passes through 

 one of the pharyngeal arches, over one of the sides of the epiglot- 

 tis ; by this means it reaches the cesophagus at the very moment 

 when, by the contraction of the muscles, the pharynx is con- 

 tracted. 



2. The deglutition of liquids is effected in a somewhat similar 

 manner, these jjassing very often over the epiglottis, in which 

 tlicy differ from solids. 



3. A very smajl quantity of the liquid passes over the edge of 

 the epiglottis, and thus moistens the mucous membrane of the 

 larynx and the cords of the voice. 



4. In gargling the throat, the laiynx being then much opened, 

 a large quantity of liquid escapes into the vocal organ. 



5. One may easily bear a piece of food in the air-passages, that 

 is to say in the lai-ynx, near the vocal cords, and even in the inte- 

 rior of the windpipe. 



6. Tlie sensibility of the windpipe to the touch of foreign bodies 

 is far less than that of the larynx. 



7. Hard and cold bodies, such as aprobang, are never tolerated 

 by the I'espiratory ^^assages, although soft bodies which adhere to 

 the mucous membrane, and have tlie same tempei'ature as it, may 

 remain in the trachea for several minutes without producing any 

 repulsive effect. 



The contraction is automatic, and produced by I'eflex action. 

 This, in turn, is due to the sensation caused by the contact of the 

 foreign substance with the membrane lining the I'egions of the 

 glottis, but more especially under the epiglottis ; this membrane, 

 therefoi'e, appears to play the part of a special sensory organ. 



EXECUTION BY HANGING. 



Prof. Haughton communicates a paper to the " Pliilosophical 

 Magazine "" On Hanging, Considered from a Mechanical and 

 Physiological Point of View " : — 



" In hanging, death is either caused by pressure on the jugular 

 veins, by asphyxia, caused by stojipage of the windpipe, or by 

 shock of the medulla ol^longata, caustnl by fracture of the verte- 

 bral column. In the latter case only is death instantaneous. 

 According to the original form of death punishment in England, the 

 hanging was used as an anaesthetic, pveparatoiy to the drawing 

 andquartering of the criminal. The ' sliort drojD ' of three or four 

 feet, as used in tliis country, is quite insuiJicient to cause instanta- 

 neous death, and is, moreover, often productive of some veiy 

 painful ' scenes at the scaffold.' Prof. Haughton has ascertained, 

 from his own observations, that the shock of a ton dropped through 

 one foot is just sufficient to fracture the anterior articulating sur- 

 faces of the second vertel^ra at their contract with the atlas ; and 

 that this fracture allows the shock to fall upon the medulla ob- 

 longata so as to produce instantaneous death. Thus, a criminal 

 weighing 160 lbs. should be allowed a 14 feet drop (IGO X 14 = 

 2,240 lbs.). It is the practice in Ireland to use a drop of nearly 

 this length. Although death takes place immediately that the 



