Chap. 3 8.] 



CHAP. XXXVIII. 



TASTE, AND ITS ORGANS. 



The Tongue the Organ of Tafte.Defcriptinn of it.-Ho f w fupplied 

 'with Nerws.Mu/cIes of the Tongue. HO-VJ Rafting is ftr- 

 farmed. 



TH E tongiie has been already cafually mentioned 

 as in fome refpeds a very accurate organ of 

 touch ; but the fenfe to which it is more particularly 

 fubfervient is that of tafte. The palate is commonly 

 considered as the organ of cade -, but this is a vulgar 

 error, for unlefs the fubftance applied to the palate 

 has fome degree of acrimony, no frnfadon whatever is 

 the conrequence. The tongue, and more particularly 

 at the point, and the fuperior and the lateral parts of 

 it, is the true organ of tafte. The fkin, with which 

 the tongue is covered, is remarkably foft and thin, and 

 is continually preferved moid and warm. On the fur- 

 face of this fkin papilla, much larger than in any 

 other part of the body, and of feveral forts, are ob~ 

 fervable. The-firft kind are few in number, arid arc 

 placed at the back part of the tongue. Thefe are fur- 

 rounded with a fmall furrow, and their form is almoft 

 that of an inverted cone. They are not of a very 

 delicate ftructure, nor are they much concerned in 

 tailing. The fecond kind, which are fn.ialler and 

 fofter than the preceding, and into which the firft gra- 

 dually degenerate, have fomewhat of the form of a 

 mufhroom j they are fcattered on the fuperior furface 

 of the tongue, till, becoming more numerous towards 

 its fides, they are there diftributed in diverging lines. 

 The third kind are of a conical form, are mixed 

 with the other kinds, and are very generally diftributed 

 B b 2 over 



