246 



SPECIAL SENSES. 



section of the nerves on both sides, animals ate, without re- 

 pugnance, meat mixed with colocynth, and drank colocynth 

 mixed with milk, while other animals refused these articles 

 with every indication of disgust. This fact has also been 

 observed by Longet 1 and by Lusanna. 8 



Relying upon experiments on the inferior animals, par- 

 ticularly dogs, it seems pretty certain that there are two 

 nerves presiding over the sense of taste : The chorda tym- 

 pani gives this sense to the anterior portion of the tongue 

 exclusively, probably the anterior two-thirds ; the glosso- 

 pharyngeal supplies this sense to the posterior portion of 

 the tongue ; the chorda tympani seems to have nothing to 

 do with general sensibility ; while the glosso-pharyngeal is an 

 ordinary sensory nerve, as well as a nerve of special sense. 



To conclude this portion of our subject, we may cite 

 quite an elaborate series of observations by Lusanna, showing 

 that the sense of taste varies in different portions of the gus- 

 tatory apparatus. 3 



Where there are such differences in the delicacy of the 



1 LONGET, Traite de physiologic, Paris, 1869, tome iii., p. 505. 



2 LUSANNA, Archives de physiologic, Paris, 1869, tome ii., p. 24. 



8 LUSANNA, Recherches experimentales et observations pathologiques sur les nerfs 

 du gout. Archives de physiologic, Paris, 1 869, tome ii., p. 208. The observations 

 in the table were made by the pupils of Lusanna, under his direction. 



" A. Savors equally well appreciated at the anterior and posterior part of the 

 tongue. 



C a. Taste of milk. 



b. ' meats. 



c. ' farinaceous substances. 



d. ' saccharine substances. 



e. ' fatty substances. 

 /. ' alcohol. 



g. ' wines. 



h. ' acids. 



i. salts. 



a. Piquant taste. 



b. Aromatic " 



c. Pungent " 



d. Ethereal " 



" B. Savors that are slightly or not at all appreciated at the anterior portion 



1. Aliments. 



2. Seasonings, aromas, coffee, 

 pepper, absinthe, essential 

 oils. 



