CHAPTER X 



THE VOCAL APPARATUS 



183. The Larynx, which contains the vocal cords, is the 

 special voice organ. It is a chamber made up of cartilages, 

 membranes, and muscles. Four cartilages compose the 

 framework. The thyroid is the largest, and forms a 

 prominent ridge in 

 front (called " Ad- 

 am's apple ") with 

 broad, flat sheets at 

 the sides, ending in 

 prolonged angles, 

 above and below 

 (Figs. 79 and 80). 

 It does not meet at 

 the back of the lar- 

 ynx. The cricoid car- 

 tilage, on the other 



hand, is a complete 

 Fig. 79. -Front (ven- ,1 i i hpino- Fig. 80. -Side view 

 tral) view of larynx. of larynx. 



much wider than the 



front. On top of the broad hinder portion of the cricoid 

 are the small, triangular arytenoid cartilages, which form 

 with the cricoid a true joint, having synovial membrane 

 and ligaments (Fig. 81). 



Besides these four principal cartilages, which are of 

 hyaline, or nonfibrous cartilage, there are five others of 



136 



Trachea 



Trachea 



