For there is no passage leading from the lung to
the stomach, such as the oesophagus which we see leading thither
from the mouth. Moreover, when any cause produces sickness and
vomiting, it is plain enough when the fluid is discharged. It is
manifest also that fluid, when swallowed, does not pass directly
into the bladder and collect there, but goes first into the stomach.
For, when red wine is taken, the dejections of the stomach are seen to
be coloured by its dregs; and such discoloration has been even seen on
many occasions inside the stomach itself, in cases where there have
been wounds opening into that organ. However, it is perhaps silly to
be minutely particular in dealing with silly statements such as this.
The windpipe then, owing to its position in front of the oesophagus,
is exposed, as we have said, to annoyance from the food. To obviate
this, however, nature has contrived the epiglottis. This part is not
found in all sanguineous animals, but only in such of them as have a
lung; nor in all of these, but only in such as at the same time have
their skin covered with hairs, and not either with scaly plates or
with feathers. In such scaly and feathered animals there is no
epiglottis, but its office is supplied by the larynx, which closes and
opens, just as in the other case the epiglottis falls down and rises
up; rising up during the ingress or egress of breath, and falling down
during the ingestion of food, so as to prevent any particle from
slipping into the windpipe.
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