THE FUNCTIONS OF THE UVULA. 



23 



PHYSIOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS. 



TSE FUNCTIONS OF THE UVULA AND THE PROMINENCE 

 FORMED BY THE AZYGOS UVULJE MUSCLES. 



By Thos. F. Eumbold, M. D., St. Louis, Mo. 



In the spring of 1870 I had a patient whose right nostril was of sufficient 

 caliber to admit my little finger in its whole length. The idea occurred to 

 me at once, that this case presented an excellent opportunity for examining 

 the action of the uvula; and as our authorities say of this grape- shaped 

 appendage, that "its use is not clear,"* I determined to take advantage of 

 this opportunity to inspect its motions during mastication, deglutition and 

 vocalization. 



I. had the patient keep this nostril wide open with a Kramer bi-valve 

 ear speculum. Through this large nasal passage, thus dilated, I passed a 

 reflector, reaching to the posterior wall of the pharyngo-nasal cavity (Fig. 

 1, E) ; on the mirror (E) I directed a calcium light, illumining the parts 



FIG. 1. Antero-posterior section of the head ; E. reflector ; S. P. soft Palate ; U. uvula : E. t. mouth 

 of Eustachian tube ; Ep. epiglottis. 



* Dunglison's Medical Dictionary. 



