CHAPTER IV 



THE TONGUE, SOFT PALATE, (ESOPHAGUS AND 

 SALIVARY GLANDS 



THE TONGUE 



The tongue rests in a kind of sling formed by the two mylo-hyoid 

 muscles, which are attached to the deep faces of the horizontal rami 

 and meet one another in a median fibrous raphe. 



In the horse the tongue is in shape somewhat like a three-sided 

 pyramid. Its posterior or fixed portion is attached by muscles to the 

 hyoid and inferior maxillary bones, and these muscles also enter 

 into the formation of the tongue itself. 



The whole of the tongue is invested by a continuation of the mucous 

 membrane of the mouth, and if the free portion of the organ be raised 

 the fraenum linguas will be visible in the median line. This is simply 

 a folding of the buccal mucous membrane as it passes on to the tongue. 

 Similar folds are found where the membrane passes from the root of 

 the tongue on to the soft palate, and these folds constitute what are 

 known as the anterior pillars of the fauces. 



The small conical filiform papills are found to be scattered over 

 the tongue. The fungiform papilla; are placed along the dorsum and 

 sides, whilst the circumvallate papilla;, of which there may be two or 

 three, are found on the dorsum. These last-named papilla; have flattened 

 summits, and each is surrounded by a well-defined furrow, in which are 

 placed the gustatory bodies or end organs of taste. These bodies derive 



