Vocal Cords in Quiet Respiration in Man, 



415 



If we now compare the summary of the two last tables showing 'the 

 width of the glottis during quiet respiration and after death respec- 

 tively, the results will be found to be rather surprising. 



The width of the glottis in adults expressed in millimetres is : 



In other words, first, during quiet respiration the width of the glottis 

 in both sexes is on the average not only fully twice the size or more of 

 the glottis as seen after death, as would appear from mere laryngo- 

 scopic estimation, but in reality twice and a half to nearly three times 

 that size. 



Secondly, {/, instead of the averages, the maxima and minima 

 respectively be compared, the differences in some instances are even 

 larger. 



Thirdly, under all circumstances the minima as observed during life 

 are greater than the maxima seen after death. 



Thus all metric observations go to prove beyond any doubt that 

 the glottis during quiet respiration is much wider open than after 

 death. 



Thirdly. Experiments on Animals. 



Concerning the last category of proofs, to the effect that the 

 glottis is wider open during quiet respiration than after death, namely, 

 experiments on animals, I am able to state that from the first experi- 

 menter Legallois, down to the present day, all physiologists who 

 have performed division of either both pneumogastric or both recur- 

 rent nerves on animals, and whose works on the subject have been 



the different descriptions by authors, as to what may be called paralysis of the 

 recurrent laryngeal nerve and what abductor paralysis. 



