DEGLUTITION. 
into the bafilar procefa of the occiput. ‘The external fur- 
face of this mufcle is covered, juit at its origin, by the byo- 
gloffus: in the reft of its extent it is covered by the inferior 
conftriétor, or is In conte& with the front of the vertebrae. 
On its anterior furface it is in coata&t with the fupcrior con- 
ftrictor, with the fy ae palato-pharyngeus, and 
membrane of the pha 
Confividior phe rye ve emus (pterygo-pharyngeus, mylo- 
pharyngeus, aa o-pharyngeus ).— res are tran{- 
verfe and par. alle to each other, and cover the t top. of the 
ag. Its origins are the inferior half of the internal ptery- 
goid plate, the attachment of the oe to both jaws, 
and the fides of the bafe cf the tongue. the upper 
fibres alcend a little to be fixed to the ies ne A of the 
ciput. Covered behind chiefly by the preceding mufcle, 
is conta in front with the sila ieniias palati, palato- a 
rynzeus, and membrane of the phary 
Gion of thefe three nie confitts i in contracting 
the phary nx, and propelling the.food through it towards the 
ftom 
Soph ie “yageus. — is a thin elongated mufcle, placed 
at the fide and back part of the p 
under the ach pas to expand 
ts fibres ov wit ounding 
mufeles. Tt has an attachment allo to ihe eo arilage 
it elevates and expands the 
Cavity of the Pharynx. a When we have laid open the 
pharynx by a longitudinal incifion extending along the whole 
length of its pofterior furface, we fee the foft palate hanging 
down into the middle anterior portion of the cavity, and fe- 
parating the pofterior openings of the nofe from that of the 
uth. Above the foft palate are two large and fomewha 
oval apertures, the pofterior openings of (choane 
narinm), fo e{cription of which fee the article Nose 
vifible from the 
throat. In the fame way the mucous fecretion of the nofe 
is drawn into the pnaryns 3 from which it is expelled by the 
mouth in the a& of {pi 
Phe Euftachian be or : canal; which conveys the ex- 
aped opening : placed in the point of 
nthe nofe and pharynx, and is kept 
permanently open by th eiieen nous nature of its ttruc- 
_ Juft bchind the aperture a confiderable ek is nse 
ferved, caufed by a piece of the cartilage. For ore 
particular account of this tube, fee Ear. 
mouth into the pharynx 
(iffbmus ‘faucium) is placed juft under the foft palate. The 
mode in which this communication is formed has been al- 
will be parallel to the horizon, and the polterior fnrtice i 18 
then fupertor, and the anterior is infenor. ‘The choane 
narium are clofed b velum palati during the act of 
vomiting ; when the contents of the flomach are thrown 
aoe up the sad tie and pharynx, and would enter 
noftrils, ee ere not clofed 
ve ae Som 
this dieGioa, which we cannot be furprized 
confider the violence with which it is driven into the pha- 
The foft palate is alfo drawn up in the fame way, 
foe] 
cal 
injeGted from one noftril returned through the other, which 
can only be explained by the elevation of the foft palate. 
The larynx projets into the lower part of the front of the 
pharynx. Tn the middle and upper part of this projeGion 
there isa large opening, named the glottis, which is the 
entrance of the larynx. Tia is fituated juft at the root of 
the oe fo that all the food nece arily paffes over it in 
the a&t of deglutition ; yet the membrane of the larynx is fo 
exquilitely fenfible, that it cannot bear the contac - 
rei e 
ex See irritation, of pure 
water is fufficient to sae this oe, ; and if the offend- 
ing matter be not immediately diflodged, a {enfe of fuffoca- 
tion and the moft diftrefling and painful fines enfue. 
we reflect on the fatal confequences that are almoft immedi- 
ately attendant on the interruption of refpiration, we fhal 
confider this acute ienfibility of the lining of the ites and 
arynx as a wife parc againit fuffocation; by w we 
receive the alarm on mott difant approach of cf nger 
seis as all io alien: mutt pafs over the glottis, and the 
of a 
ay ae ay ie inft, we 
epiglottis, clofely conneéted with the root of the ue. 
ore particular defcription of the glottis a epi- 
gloss fee the article Larynx. 
ogrefs of the Food in Deglutition.—At the time that the 
dives and retra@ion of the tongue urges the morfel of 
hyoidel, dgatrcis and beater oidei. Now when the la- 
rynx is raifed, it is rather inclined forwards, = that the 
glottis is brought under the epiglottis, which a 
ord 
cles. winded 3 is not ef{cntial, 
w (fl ads in ae with the mouth open; but the act 
of “deglutition is then inconvenient and dangerous. 
The elevation and retraCtion of the tongue, by which le 
food is thruft into the pharynx, contribute alfo to the a 
wards and downwards, an thereby meets the afcending la- 
rynx. et this is not neceffary ; for we can pro 
dead fubjec, that the m 
the eae while the tongue is not move 
deed, i advert to the connexions of the 
an eroaiea, we muft fuppofe that the tongue often does 
contribute to the effet in qucttion. Hence we fhail find 
hat deglutition is practicable with the tongue held firmly to 
7 the 
