THE LARYNX 339 



mucous membrane which covers it posteriorly and also, to 

 some extent, anteriorly, the epiglottic cartilage has the form 

 of an obovate leaf; it is indented by pits, and shows 

 numerous perforations. In the pits glands are lodged, and 

 through the foramina vessels and, in some cases, nerves 

 pass. The broad end of the cartilage is directed upwards, 

 and is free; its lateral margins are to a large extent enclosed 

 within the ary-epiglottic folds. The anterior surface is free 

 only in its upper part. That part is covered with mucous 

 membrane, and looks towards the tongue. The posterior 

 surface is covered, throughout its whole extent, with the 

 mucous membrane of the larynx. The pointed lower end 

 of the cartilage is called the petiolus, and is connected by a 

 stout fibrous^lDand, termed the thyreo-epiglottic ligament, to 

 the angle between the laminae of the thyreoid cartilage. 



Epiglottic Ligaments. - - The epiglottis is bound by 

 ligaments to the base of the tongue, to the side wall of the 

 pharynx, to the hyoid bone, and to the thyreoid cartilage. 

 The glosso-epiglottic fold and the two pharyngo-epiglottic folds 

 have been studied already. In each there is a small quantity 

 of elastic tissue. The hyo -epiglottic ligament is a short, 

 broad elastic band which connects the anterior face of the 

 epiglottis to the upper border of the body of the hyoid bone. 

 The thyreo-epiglottic ligament is strong, elastic, and thick. It 

 proceeds downwards, from the lower pointed extremity of the 

 epiglottis, and is attached to the angular depression between the 

 two laminae of the thyreoid cartilage, below the median notch. 



The triangular interval which is left between the lower 

 part of the cartilage of the epiglottis and the median part of 

 the thyreo-hyoid membrane contains a pad of soft fat, and it 

 is imperfectly closed above by the hyo-epiglottic ligament. 



Cartilage Thyreoidea. The thyreoid cartilage is the 

 largest of the laryngeal cartilages. It is composed of two 

 broad and somewhat quadrilateral plates, termed the lamina, 

 which meet anteriorly at an angle, and become fused along 

 the median plane. Posteriorly, the laminae diverge from each 

 other and enclose a wide angular space. The anterior borders 

 of the laminae are fused only in their lower parts. Above, they 

 are separated by a deep, narrow V-shaped notch, called the 

 incisura thyreoidea superior. In the adult male, the angle formed 

 by the meeting of the anterior borders of the two laminae, 

 especially in the upper part, is very projecting ; and, with the 



