Dean D. Lewis . 179 



processus vocalis of the arytenoid cartilage, is the most accurate that has 

 yet been given. His findings can merely be verified; nothing can be 

 added. He states tliat in macroscopical preparations it can be seen that 

 the ligamentum vocale has a wide area of attachment to the vocal process 

 of the cartilage, covering its upper and medial surfaces, leaving the 

 lower and lateral surfaces free for the attachment of the fibers of the 

 musculus vocalis. The study of microscopical preparations made in 

 frontal and horizontal planes shows that the middle fibers of the ligament, 

 only, are the direct continuation of the fibers of the elastic cartilage, 

 which forms the apex and anterior border of the vocal process. The 

 greater number of fibers, occupying the lateral part of the ligament, are 

 derived from the perichondrium, which consists here almost wholly of 

 elastic fibers, which cover the elastic cartilage above, laterally and 

 medially. 



In the beginning of the elastic cartilage the fibers intersect each other 

 at various angles, but soon pass parallel in a sagittal plane. The fibers 

 of the perichondrium upon the medial and lateral surface of the cartilage 

 pass in front of the apex and anterior border of the processus vocalis in 

 curves, which intersect each other at right angles. All these fibers form 

 anterior to the vocal process a dense network, probably the sesamoid car- 

 tilage of Kanthack, out of which parallel fibers emerge, to pass forward. 

 The fibers of the ligament receive from the side additional fibers, which 

 lie between the bundles of the musculus vocalis, and by means of its 

 perimysium they are attached to the vocal process of the arytenoid 

 cartilage. 



In the middle part of the ligament the fibers usually course parallel 

 to each other, and in a sagittal direction. When the processus vocalis is 

 in the position of rest, two great divisions of the ligament may be differ- 

 entiated. The one adjacent to the muscle is dense and only in thin sec- 

 tions can the separate fibers be differentiated; the other, equally wide, 

 borders upon the preceding, above and medially, and has the same form. 

 In sections, it is recognizable as a lighter zone. The fibers of the denser 

 part of the ligament form a curve, the concavity of which is directed 

 toward the free border of the labium vocale, while the fibers of the less 

 compact part are straight. 



Upon superficial examination, the fibers of the ligament seem to pass 

 parallel to each other, without anastomosing. C. L. Merkel has stated 

 that the elastic fibers of the ligamentum vocale differ from the elastic 

 fibers in other parts of the body, in that they do not anastomose. Reinke 

 has shown, however, by the use of specific stains and higher lenses that 

 there are anastomosing fibers, but that. the principal fibers are so well 



