Ill 



THE SENSE OF TASTE 



131 



while in other parts of the buccal and lingual mucous membrane 

 where there is no sensibility for taste, nerve-endings similar to 

 those we have described for cutaneous sensibility are very 

 abundant. 



These observations are confirmed by the fact brought out by 

 von Vintschgau and Honigschmied that after unilateral division 

 of the glossopharyngeal nerve, which as we saw in the last 

 volume (III. p. 401) is probably the only specific nerve of taste, 

 one half of the taste area of the tongue becomes anaesthetic to 

 taste, and after about four months the corresponding buds dis- 

 appear, their elements being replaced by ordinary epithelial cells. 

 All doubt as to the functions of these organs was removed by the 



FIG. 57. Transverse section of epiglottis of a human foetus at seven months (male). (Kiesow.) 

 The taste-buds are shown on the surface of the tongue. 



experiments made by Kiesow, with Hahn, on the taste sensibility 

 of the human larynx. 



The taste-buds are found not only in the anterior two-thirds 

 of the tongue but also in the mucous membrane of the posterior 

 third as far as the epiglottis, in the portion of the soft palate that 

 lies above the uvula, in .the anterior pillar of the fauces, in a 

 portion of the posterior wall of the pharynx, and lastly in the 

 anterior or lingual and the posterior or laryngeal surface of the- 

 epiglottis, and on the inner surface of the arytaenoid processes of 

 the larynx (Fig. 57). 



All other regions of the oral mucous membrane the median 

 part of the dorsum of the tongue, the lips, hard palate, uvula, 

 tonsils, cheeks, and lower surface of the tongue are normally 

 destitute of taste-buds. 



