376 THE LARYNX CARTILAGES AND LIGAMENTS. [SECT. 173. 



those of the ribs ; at the exterior the cells are mostly flattened ; 

 proceeding inwards, there is a whitish layer of many large mother- 

 cells in a more fibrous matrix ; while internal to these, again, there 

 is more of the matrix, and the cells are smaller and arranged in a 

 radiating manner. The capsules of the cells are of considerable 

 thickness, and, in the included cell, a large fat-globule is generally 

 met with. Incrustations of the cartilage-cells and of the matrix by 

 calcareous particles are very frequent in the laryngeal cartilages ; 

 and, in addition, true ossifications are also met with, which are 

 always accompanied by the formation of cavities, filled with a beauti- 

 ful gelatinous cartilage-medulla, containing vessels. — The epiglottis, 

 the cartilages of Santorini and Wrisberg, and also, according to 

 Rheiner, the processus vocales and apex of the arytenoid cartilage, 

 consist of yellow or reticulated cartilage (see § 24, fig. 16). This 

 presents, 1. dark fibres, very densely interwoven, which are much 

 thicker in some animals than in man (in the ox, for example) ; and 

 2. large translucent cartilage-capsules, O'oi'" to o'02'" in diameter. 

 In one of these capsules Henle has observed a concentric dispo- 

 sition, of such a nature that the remains of the cell-cavity re- 

 sembled a simple bone-lacuna, with a few processes from it (Allg. 

 Anat., tab. v. fig. 8). — The cartilago triticea consists of connective 

 tissue with interspersed cartilage-cells, and is, therefore, ordinary 

 fibro-cartilage, but it is occasionally only hyaline cartilage {Rheiner, 

 Se'gond) . 



With regard to the ligaments of the larynx, the lig. crico- 

 thyreoideum medium, and lig. thyreo-arytcenoidea inferiora contain 

 principally elastic tissue, and are yellow ; whilst the others, as the 

 thyreo-arytfsnoidea superiora, hyo- and thyreo-epiglottica, with the 

 thyreo-hyoid membrane, exhibit but little of the yellow elastic 

 element. The elastic fibres of the laryngeal ligaments are of the 

 finer kind, scarcely measuring above 0001'" in diameter, and are 

 united, in the usual manner, to form a dense elastic network ; this, 

 however, even where it appears most pure, everywhere contains in- 

 termingled connective tissue. The muscles of the larynx are wholly 

 composed of transversely striated muscular fibres, o - oi6'" to o - o24"' 

 in diameter, and of the same structure as elsewhere in the body. 

 They arise from the cartilages of the larynx, and are attached to 

 these as well as to its elastic ligaments. The attachment to a liga- 

 ment is seen in the case of the thyreo-arytcenoideus, which is, for 

 the most part, lost upon the external concave side of the vocal 

 cords. 



The mucous membrane of the larynx, the continuation of the 



