142 THE HUMAN BODY. 



the gullet. Its front or ventral wall is imperfect, present- 

 ing apertures which lead into the nose, the mouth, and 

 (through the larynx and windpipe) into the lungs. Except 

 when food is being swallowed the soft palate hangs down 

 between the mouth and pharynx; during deglutition it is 

 raised into a horizontal position, and separates an upper or 

 respiratory portion of the pharynx from the rest. Through 

 this upper part air alone passes,* entering it from the pos- 

 terior ends of the two nostril chambers, while through the 

 lower portion both food and air pass, one on its way to the 

 gullet, b y Fig. 41 ; the other through the larynx, d, to the 

 windpipe, c\ when a morsel of food "goes tho wrong way" 

 it takes the latter course. Opening into the upper portion 

 of the pharynx on each side is an Eustachian tube, g. At 

 the root of the tongue, over the opening of the larynx, is a 

 plate of cartilage, the epiglottis, e, which can be seen if the 

 mouth is widely opened and the back of the tongue pressed 

 down by some such thing as the handle of a spoon. Dur- 

 ing swallowing the epiglottis is pressed down like a lid over 

 the opening of the air-tube and helps to keep food from 

 entering it. The pharynx is lined by mucous membrane 

 and has muscles in its walls which, by their contractions, 

 drive the food on. 



The (Esophagus or Gullet is a tube commencing at the 



What apertures open into its ventral side? What is the usual 

 position of the soft palate? How is this position altered during 

 swallowing? What passes through the respiratory division of the 

 pharynx? What things pass through its lower division? What is 

 the destination of each? What is meant by saying a morsel has 

 "gone the wrong way"? Where do the Eustachian tubes open? 

 What is the epiglottis? How may it be seen? What is its use? 



* During a severe attack of vomiting the soft palate often only acts imper- 

 fectly in closing the passage between gullet and nostrils; hence some of the 

 ejected matter not unfrequently is expelled through the nose. 



