188 The Elastic Tissue of the Iliniiau Larynx 



could be acted upon, and the cord abducted and rendered tense, while the 

 arytenoid cartilage remained in a position of adduction. 



MIDDLE ZONE. 



The Elastic Tissue of the Ventriculus Laryngis. 



The continuation upward of the subepithelial elastic layer of the 

 labium vocale forms the delicate elastic membrane surrounding the ven- 

 ti'iculus laryngis. This membrane lies just beneath the epithelium of 

 the ventricle, and is poorly developed. Above, it becomes continuous 

 with the elastic tissue occupying the plica ventricularis. Transverse 

 sections through the lower part of the ventricle and through the vocal 

 liganient show well the relation existing between the elastic fibers belong- 

 ing to each at this level (Fig. 7). The elastic fibers upon the medial 

 surface of the ventricle are continuous with the lateral fibers of the 

 ligament. The elastic fibers upon the lateral surface of the ventricle 

 become continuous posteriorly with the fibers of the ligament, or are 

 attached to the antero-lateral surface of the arytenoid cartilage. Anter- 

 iorly, as they approach the nodulus vocalis, they divide, part to be inserted 

 into the nodule and part to be reflected laterad to become continuous 

 with the elastic fibers of the perichondrium, covering the inner surface 

 of the thyroid cartilage. 



SUPERIOR ZONE. 



Aryteno-Epiglottidean Ligaments: Membrana Quadrangularis. 



The elastic fibers of this zone are situated in the aryteno-epiglottidean 

 folds. Their general direction is from above and anteriorly, downward 

 and backward. Posteriorly, these fibers are attached to the medial sur- 

 face of the arytenoid cartilages, and anteriorly, to the lateral borders 

 of the epiglottis. Above, they pass upward to the free borders of the folds, 

 and are related to the cartilages of Santorini and Wrisberg. Below, the 

 fibers become thickened to form the ligaments occupying the labia ven- 

 tricularia. 



LiGAMENTUM VeNTRICULAEE : LiGAMENTUM ThYREOART^NOIDEUM 



SUPERIUS. 



Luschka describes the elastic fibers forming the ligamentum ventri- 

 culare as being grouped into well-defined bundles anteriorly and poster- 

 iorly. In the middle of their course the elastic fibers are separated from 

 each other by numerous glands. 



