CHAPTER XXL 

 TASTE, SMELL, AND HEARINGo 



Uses of the Sense of Taste. The sense of taste helps 

 us in judging of the fitness of anything that presents itself 

 as a candidate for election as food. By reflex action the 

 taste of agreeable substances aids in digestion by stimulat- 

 ing the glands, especially the salivary glands. 



The Papillae. The surface of the tongue is covered 

 with papillae. These are of three kinds. Most numerous 



Papillae 



Glosso-pharyngeal 

 Nerve (9th) 



Gustatory Branch of Fifth Nerve 

 Fig. 91. Diagram of Tongue, showing Nerves and Papilla. 



are the filiform papillae, slender, cylindrical projections. 

 Like the papillae of the skin, they seem to be organs of 

 touch. Scattered among the filiform papillae are small, 

 bright red spots which, on examination, are found to be 

 shaped somewhat like a mushroom, the fungiform papillae. 

 Near the base of the tongue are about a dozen larger pa- 



301 



