LIGAMENTS OF THE LARYNX. 481 



they articulate with two little curved cartilages, called cornicula 

 laryngis (capitula laryngis). On the posterior surface they are 

 concave, and lodge the arytenoideus muscle. 



The Epiglottis (stfiyXwrnV, upon the tongue) is a fibre-cartilage of 

 a yellowish colour, studded with a number of small mucous glands, 

 which are lodged in shallow pits upon its surface. It is shaped like 

 a cordate leaf, and is placed immediately in front of the opening of 

 the larynx, which it closes completely when the larynx is drawn up 

 beneath the base of the tongue. It is attached by its point to the 

 receding angle, between the two alse of the thyroid cartilage. 



Two small cartilaginous tubercles- (cuneiform) are often found in 

 the folds of the mucous membrane which bound the opening of the 

 larynx laterally. 



Ligaments. The Ligaments of the larynx are numerous, and 

 may be arranged into four groups : 1. Those which articulate the 

 thyroid with the os hyoides. 2. Those which connect it with the 

 cricoid. 3. Ligaments of the arytenoid cartilages. 4. Ligaments 

 of the epiglottis. 



1. The ligaments which connect the thyroid cartilage with the 

 os hyoides are three in number : 



The two Thyro-hyoidean ligaments pass between the superior 

 cornua of the thyroid and the extremities of the greater cornua of 

 the os hyoides : a sesamoid bone is found in each. 



The Thyro-hyoidean membrane is a broad membranous layer, 

 occupying the entire space between the thyroid cartilage and os 

 hyoides. It is pierced by the superior laryngeal nerve and artery. 



2. The ligaments connecting the thyroid to the cricoid cartilage 

 are also three in number : 



Two Capsular ligaments, with their synovial membranes, which 

 form the articulation between the inferior cornua of the thyroid and 

 the sides of the cricoid, and the crico-thyroidean membrane, through 

 which the operation of laryngotomy is performed: The latter is 

 generally crossed by a small artery, the inferior laryngeal. 



3. The ligaments of the arytenoid cartilages are four in number : 

 Two Capsular ligaments, and synovial membranes, which arti- 

 culate the arytenoid cartilages with the cricoid; and the thyro- 

 arytenoid ligaments, or chordce vocales, which pass backwards from 

 the receding angle of the thyroid cartilage, near to its lower border, 

 to be inserted into the bases of the arytenoid cartilages. The space 

 between these two ligaments is the glottis, or rima glottidis. 



4. The ligaments of the epiglottis are five in number : 



1. Three folds of mucous membrane, one at the middle, and one 

 at each side, called frazna epiglottidis, which hold the epiglottis 

 back to the tongue. 2. Epiglotto-hyoidean ligament, which connects 

 the epiglottis to the posterior surface of the os hyoides. 3. The 

 ligament which attaches the epiglottis to the receding angle of the 

 thyroid cartilage. 



The Muscles of the larynx are eight in number : the five larger 



61 



