244 SPECIAL SENSES. 



who operated without dividing the nerves, and who observed 

 contractions, which were undoubtedly reflex. 1 In another vol- 

 ume, under the head of movements of the palate and uvula, 

 we have cited in detail a series of experiments by Bernard 

 and Davaine, which illustrate the reflex movements of the 

 velum palati through the facial, produced by galvanization of 

 the glosso-pharyngeal. 2 As a complement to the first experi- 

 ments of Longet, just cited, the same observer noted contrac- 

 tions of the pharyngeal muscles following galvanization of 

 the peripheral end of the divided nerve in the neck, which 

 could only be produced by the action of motor anastomos- 

 ing filaments. 3 



As regards general sensibility, there can be no doubt of 

 the fact that the glosso-pharyngeal is sensory, though its sen- 

 sibility is somewhat obtuse. In the experiments in which 

 the nerve has seemed, to be insensible to ordinary impressions, 

 it is probable that the animals operated upon had been ex- 

 hausted more or less by pain and loss of blood in the opera- 

 tion of exposing the nerve, which, it is well known, abolish 

 the sensibility of some of the nerves. Longet states dis- 

 tinctly that, unless the animals (dogs) be already exhausted by 

 resistance during the operation, they have always appeared to 

 suffer pain on pinching or dividing the glosso-pharyngeal. 4 

 The observations of Schiff, also, lead to a similar conclusion. 5 



Experiments upon the glosso-pharyngeal are not very 

 definite and satisfactory in their results, as regards the gen- 

 eral sensibility of the base of the tongue, palate, and pharynx. 

 The sensibility of these parts seems to depend chiefly upon 

 branches of the fifth, passing to the mucous membrane 

 through Meckel's ganglion. Experiments show, also, that the 



1 CHAUVEAU, Du nerf pneumogastrique. Journal de la physiologic, Paris, 

 1862, tome v., p. 209. 



2 See vol. iv., Nervous System, p. 161. 



3 LONGET, Traite de physiologic, Paris, 1869, tome iii., p. 503. 



4 Op, cit., p. 503. 



5 SCHIFF, Lemons sur la physiologic de la digestion, Florence et Turin, 1867, 

 p. 93. 



