Digestion in the Stomach. 165 



gullet is closed. Air enters the nostrils, passes along the 

 nasal passages above the hard palate, back of the soft 

 palate and epiglottis, through the open glottis into the 

 windpipe, and on to the lungs. 



The Process of Swallowing. When the morsel of food 

 is ready to be swallowed the tongue pushes it back into 

 the pharynx; the soft palate is raised to shut off the 

 passage into the nasal cavity ; the epiglottis is pulled down 



-Eustachian Tube 

 -Soft Palate, Raised 

 Food 



Epiglottis, Down 

 Gullet, Open 



Glottis, Closed 



Fig. 71. Positions of the Organs of the Mouth and Throat during Swallowing. 



over the glottis, or opening of the windpipe ; and the base 

 of the tongue extends back over the epiglottis; thus the 

 ,air passages, above and below, are shut off, and the food 

 passes over the epiglottis into the gullet. The muscles of 

 the pharynx also do their part in pushing the food along. 

 As soon as the food has passed over the epiglottis, the 

 epiglottis rises to its upright position, and the soft palate 

 drops back to its place, leaving the air passages again 

 open. 



