DEGLUTITION. 43 



cookery, by which it is so softened, that very little neces- 

 sity exists of much grinding or cutting powers in the 

 teeth. During mastication, fluids are constantly poured 

 into the mouth from various glands in the cheeks under 

 the tongue, and in fact from every part of the mucous 

 membrane. By the saliva as these fluids are called, the 

 food is moistened, and its comminution more easily 

 effected and perhaps, a little changed in its chemical 

 properties. Being now prepared for the action of the 

 stomach, let us follow its course, and examine the means 

 by which it is conveyed to that organ. This process is 

 called deglutition or swallowing, and although apparently 

 a very simple thing, a distinguished physiologist pro- 

 nounces it, " by far the most complicated of all the mus- 

 cular actions which assist in digestion." To understand 

 it fully, let us look first at the parts which are concerned 

 in producing it. Attached to the middle of the poster- 

 ion edge of the palate, you may observe by looking into 

 your own mouth by a mirror, a soft, loose body formed 

 by folds of the mucous membrane, called \heveilofthe 

 palate, which by means of eight little muscles that are 

 inserted into it, may be moved in a great variety of di- 

 rections. 



Emily. I observe it distinctly but what are those 

 bodies, one on each side of it, resembling it in color and 

 apparently in texture ? 



Dr. B. Those are the tonsils, commonly called al- 

 monds a collection of mucous glands. Passing on be- 

 tween these, we, arrive next at a sort of vestibule or cham- 

 ber, called the pharynx. In this vestibule we find several 

 apertures leading in different directions, viz. two to the 

 nostrils, called the nasal fossa ; one on each side to the 

 drum of the ear, called Eustachian tubes ; one to the 

 wind- pipe, called the chink of the glottis, which is fur- 

 nished with a sort of valve, called the epiglottis, capable 

 when shut down, of completely closing the chink. Seve- 

 ral muscles are attached to the pharynx, which give to 

 it a great variety of motion. Behind, and attached to 



