PHYSIOLOGY OF TASTE. 151 



ment confirms the one with the point of the needle before referred to, 

 and shows that the parts of the tongue which possess the power of 

 receiving tactile impressions are distinct from those concerned in 

 gustation. The fine conical papillae, by some called filiform, seated 

 at the sides and tip of the tongue, have been generally esteemed the 

 most exquisitely sensible. 



The sense of taste is almost wholly accomplished in the membrane 

 covering the tongue. 1 M. A. Verniere 2 found, in experiments which he 

 instituted, the mucous membrane of the palatine arch, gums, cheeks, 

 lips, and middle and dorsal region of the tongue constantly insensible 

 to savours ; whilst gustatory sensibility was possessed by the membrane 

 covering the sublingual glands, the inferior surface, point, edges and 

 base of the tongue ; the pillars and two surfaces of the velum palati, 

 the tonsils and pharynx. Subsequently, MM. Guyot and Admyrauld 3 

 found, from a series of experiments made upon themselves, that the 

 lips, inner surface of the cheeks, palatine arch, pharynx, pillars of the 

 velum palati, and dorsal and inferior surface of the tongue are inca- 

 pable of appreciating savours ; and that the seat of gustation is at the 

 posterior and deep-seated part of the tongue, beyond a curved line, 

 whose concavity anteriorly passes through the foramen caecum, and 

 joins the two margins of the tongue anterior to the pillars ; at the 

 edges of the tongue ; and on a surface of about two lines uniting them 

 with the dorsal surface : at the apex with an extension of four or five 

 lines on the dorsal, and of one or two on the inferior surface; and 

 lastly, at a small space of the velum palati situate nearly at the centre 

 of its anterior surface. M. Guyot, moreover, found, that the same 

 sapid body does not produce the same sensation on every part of the 

 gustatory organ. We find, indeed, that certain bodies affect one part 

 of the mouth, and others another. Acids act more especially on the 

 lips and teeth ; acrid bodies, as mustard, on the pharynx. These experi- 

 ments were repeated by M. Longet, 4 with every precaution pointed out 

 by MM. Verniere, Guyot, and Admyrauld. The results agreed generally 

 with those of M. Verniere. He could not, however, discover any gus- 

 tatory sensibility in the mucous membrane covering the superior surface 

 of the velum palati, the sublingual glands and inferior surface of the 

 tongue; and he does not regard the superior and middle region of the 

 tongue as absolutely devoid of gustatory sensibility. 



That the sense is not restricted to the tongue we have direct evidence 

 in those cases in which the tongue has been wanting. M. Roland, of Sau- 

 mur, 5 gives the case of a child, six years of age, who lost the organ in 

 smallpox; and yet could speak, spit, chew, swallow, and taste. De 

 Jussieu 6 exhibited to the Academie des Sciences of Paris, in 1718, a 

 Portuguese girl, born without a tongue, who also possessed these facul- 

 ties. In a case mentioned byM. Berdot, and cited by Rudolphi, 7 in which 



1 Bidder, Art. Schmecken, in Wagner's Handworterbuch der Physiologie, 13ste Lieferung 

 s. 2. Braunschweig, 1846. a Journal des Progres, &c., iii. 208, and iv. 219. Paris, 1827. 



3 Memoire sur le Siege du Gout chez I'Homme, Paris 1830, and Archives Generates de 

 Medecine, Janvier, 1837. 



* Traite de Physiologie, torn. ii. p. 166. Paris, 1850. 

 Aglossostomographie, Paris, 1630. 



6 Mem. de TAcadem. des Sciences, p. 6. Paris, 1718. 



7 Grundriss der Physiologie, 2er Band. Iste Abtheil. s. 92. Berlin, 1823. 



