198 DIGESTION. 



function of the acute sensibility of the mucous membrane 

 above the glottis. No foreign substance can find its way 

 into the air-passages by simply dropping into the cavity situ- 

 ated above the vocal cords when respiration is interrupted, 

 but can only enter by being drawn in forcibly and suddenly 

 with an act of inspiration, when the glottis is widely opened. 

 It is now well known to the practical physician that direct 

 applications cannot be made to the interior of the larynx, 

 unless an instrument be suddenly introduced with the inspi- 

 ratory act ; and at this time, a little dexterity will enable an 

 operator to introduce bodies of considerable size below the 

 vocal cords. 



Functions of the Epiglottis. Before the experiments of 

 Magendie, in 1813, physiologists were generally of the opin- 

 ion, judging from anatomical relations, that the epiglottis 

 had the function of protecting the larynx from the entrance 

 of particles of food during the second period of deglutition. 

 There were, however, some who did not entirely adopt this 

 view. Pinel and Percy, the reporters of a commission from 

 the Institute to examine the memoir of Magendie, mention 

 the fact that Guglielmini and Targioni had already noted, in 

 cases of persons in whom the epiglottis was entirely absent, 

 that no inconvenience was experienced during deglutition. 1 

 Magendie extirpated the entire epiglottis in dogs, and found 

 that the animals swallowed liquids and solids without diffi- 

 culty, the act being very seldom followed by cough. The ob- 

 servations on deglutition were made an hour after the remo- 

 val of the epiglottis. In other animals the superior and 

 inferior laryngeal nerves were divided, thus paralyzing the 

 muscles of the glottis ; when the deglutition of liquids espe- 

 cially became difficult, and was followed generally by cough. 

 As the result of these observations, Magendie came to the 



1 Rapport de la Classe dcs Sciences pJiysiques et mathematiques de FInatitut 

 Imperial de France, sur le Hemoire de M. Magendie, concernant Vusage de TEpi- 

 glotte dans la Deglutition. Report attached to the memoir, p. 21. 



