186 Tlio Elastic Tissue of the Human Larynx 



Luschka/' after making a study of larynges in which the musculature 

 was well developed, came to the conclusion that the muscle fibers belong- 

 ing to the free border of the ligamentum vocale pass along the whole 

 length of the ligament, retaining their muscular characteristics from the 

 arytenoid to the thyroid cartilage. His findings in the larynges of 

 children verified his conclusions as to the condition in the adult. 



Henle '* states that the fibers of the musculus thyreo-artyrenoideus 

 internus, adjacent to the ligamentum vocale, are small. The fibers lying 

 nearest to the ligament pass in between the elastic fibers composing it, 

 and are closely connected with them. A number of the mviscle fibers 

 either arise from or end among the elastic fibers of the ligament. Eegard- 

 ing the functional significance of this relation, he says that the fibers 

 ending in the elastic tissue must have some influence upon the movements 

 of the ligamentum vocale, and suggests that the short fibers acting upon 

 segments of the ligament may account for the production of falsetto 

 tones. 



Jacobson '" describes the musculus thyreo-arytamoideus as having a very 

 complicated structure. He finds, in horizontal sections, muscle fibers 

 arising from the processus vocalis, and the lateral surface of the lower 

 part of the arytenoid cartilage, which pass inward to the free border of 

 the ligamentum vocale, and end in bundles of parallel elastic fibers, which 

 eventually pass into the ligamentum vocale. He sums up his conclusions 

 concerning these muscle fibers by saying that there can be no doubt that 

 the musculus aryvocalis of Ludwig may be so developed in some cases, 

 that the ligamentum vocale may be rendered tense, while the arytenoid 

 cartilage remains stationary or in the jDOsition of adduction. Thus, the 

 short fibers of the muscle may oppose the long fibers, which act as 

 adductors. 



Kanthack^' states that the medial fibers of the musculus thyro- 

 arytenoid eus pass between the elastic fibers and appear to end in them. 

 In sections, which are made exactly parallel to the course of the muscle 

 fibers, it can be seen, however, that they pass uninterruptedly from ar}^- 

 tenoid to thyroid cartilage, without ending among the elastic fibers of 

 the ligament. The ligament is not to be regarded as the tendon of the 

 muscle. 



Friedrich '" notes that there is no definite arrangement of the elastic 



"Luschka: Der Kehlkopf des Menschen. Tiibingen, 1S71, p. 121. 

 "Henle: Handb. der Eingeweidelehre des Menschen; p. 266. 

 "Jacobson: Arch. f. Mikr. Anat., Bonn, Bd. xxix, pp. 624-627. 

 -'^Kanthack: Arch. f. path. Anat., etc., Berk, Bd. cxvii, p. 542. 

 ^'Friedrich: Archiv. f. LaryngoL u. Rhinol. Bd. iv, p. 207. 



