Mikrokosmographia a description of the body of man. Together vvith the controuersies thereto belonging. Collected and translated out of all the best authors of anatomy, especially out of Gasper Bauhinus and Andreas Laurentius. By Helkiah Crooke Doctor of Physicke, physitian to His Maiestie, and his Highnesse professor in anatomy and chyrurgerie. Published by the Kings Maiesties especiall direction and warrant according to the first integrity, as it was originally written by the author.

QVEST. LXII. Of the organ of Tasting.

HAuing thus said what we could for this present concerning the medium of Tasting, we now come vnto the organ. Concerning which there is no doubt made, all men herein beleeuing their sense that the tongue is it which discerneth the differences of Sapors. For not onely reasonable but all vnrea∣sonable creatures, when they would taste any thing, doe lay it to their tongues: or if they cannot doe so they lay their tongues vnto it to distinguish the tast ther∣of. Some haue thought that the pallet is the instrument of this sense, which wee find false, because those men whose pallets are eaten out with the French disease, doe yet taste their * 1.1 meate well enough. It must therefore be the tongue though I am not ignorant that some haue attributed this faculty to the teeth, whose arguments happily we may answer in ano∣ther place, if in the meane time we shall not thinke them vnworthy our resolution.

But there are some who haue conceiued with better reason that the membrane which inuesteth the tongue is the true organ of Tasting: Among whom is Valesius in the foure * 1.2 and twentith Chapter of the second booke of his controuersies. But he affirmes it onely confirmes it not, yet because so worthy a schollar hath affirmed it, we will endeauour to make the contrary appeare.

First therefore the temperament which is common to it which other membrances doth * 1.3 denie it this priuiledge, for it is cold and drie, both which qualities are contrary vnto Sa∣pors. Now the qualities of the organ must not be at daggers drawing with the qualities of the obiect, but rather friends, and liue neighbourly together, so as the organ may be po∣tentially that which the obiect is indeed and act.

Againe, the same membrane which incompasseth the tongue, doth also inuest the no∣strills, * 1.4 the pallet and 〈…〉〈…〉llet. If therefore the membrane were the organ, this sense should be made in all these parts, which we find by experience not to be so. Valesius very vnaduisedly resolueth that this very membrane incompassing the nostrills is the organ of smelling, and saith, that it 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••he diuersity of the temperament which maketh it in the tongue the organ of the tasting and in the nose the organ of smelling. But he is fowlly decei∣ued, for suppose it had in these places a different temperature, we must not thinke that onely the temper is sufficient to distinguish the organs of senses; But beside to diuers actions there is required a diuers substance; diuerse I say, and such as is not else where to be found. Now this membrane although the temper doe somewhat differ in seuerall places, yet in qualities and substance it is like it selfe appearing so, both to the sight and to the touch.

Finally that is the principall part of the instrument into which a soft nerue doth deter∣mine, but into this coate no man will say the nerue doth determine who hath but touched * 1.5 Anotomy with his vpper lip, yet Galen in the second Chap, of his 16. booke de vsu partium seemeth to affirme the same in these words. As the hard nerues are inserted into the muskles, * 1.6 so are the soft into their proper Organ, as into the membrane of the tongue. So that hence it might seem to follow that his membran is the proper instrument of Tasting. But this place of Galen is no whit against our opinion. For we thinke and confesse that that into which the * 1.7 nerue determines is the true organ. But Galen doth not say the nerue determines in the membrane, or coate of the tongue, he saith it is inserted into it; whence we may rather ga∣ther yea therefrom it is conuinced that the substance of the tongue is the organ we treat of, because into it the nerues do determine: for being inserted into the mēbarne the extremity therof reacheth vnto the substance of the tongue to defer and confer the faculty thereunto. * 1.8

But it will be obiected that if this coate or membrane be ill affected the Tast is there∣withall depraued. VVee yeeld it to be true, yet not because the Taste is perfected in that

part, but because this membrane concurreth to the action of Sensation, without which in deed we cannot Taste; so in the eye, if the Horny membrane bee violated the sight is then depraued: and yet it doeth not follow that the Horny membrane is the chiefe Organ of Sight. And thus we must vnderstand Galen in the second Chapter of his 4. Booke de lo∣cis * 1.9 affectis, where he sayth that the Taste is vitiated if the membrane of the Tongue be di∣stempered. Or we may say that this membrane is as it were the Taster to the Taste, which office it hath partly from his own proper temperament, partly from the soft nerues which are inserted therinto, vnlesse you will say that these nerues were allowed to the membrane by Nature to giue it an exquisite sense of Touching, whereof the Tongue stood in neede for the defence of his substance, which assertion will not be against reason.

VVe conclude therefore that the membrane of the Tongue hath an exact Sense of Touching, nor altogether deuoyde of Tasting, not that it tasteth at all of it selfe but being * 1.10 contiguous, yea continuall and growing to the substance of the Tongue, it concurreth withall to the perfection of the action, so as without it the Sense of Tasting cannot be per∣fected nor accomplished.

Notwithstanding, we finde another principall part to which, as this membrane, so all the other adiacent parts are substituted by Nature as helpers and handmaides, and that is the proper and spongy flesh or pulpe of the Tongue. For beside that, it hath a substance such as you can no where finde the like in the whole body, the Temperament also therof * 1.11 is apt and to entertaine and receiue Sapours; for it is moyst and hot neare of kinne vnto the Nature of a Sapour, that it might more easily bee altered thereby. And indeede for the making of this Sensation, it is necessary that the Organ should put on the nature of * 1.12 the obiect which Aristotle meaneth, when he sayth that the Organ must potentially be the same thing which the obiect is actually, that so it might be altered & actually receiue the nature of the obiect; for how shall it iudge of the obiect vnlesse it doe put on the quali∣ties thereof.

Adde hereto that it hath an ingenite humidity, that those obiects which are poten∣tially moyste, as Salt is, being by this organ actually made moyst might become sapide, that freely and frankly exhibite his Sapours.

Againe, what greater argument can there bee, that this flesh should bee the organ of Tasting then because it is spongy, for Taste is neuer made vnlesse the moysture that carri∣eth the Sapour bee imbibed by the organ of Tasting, to which purpose nothing is so fit as the spongy pulpe of the Tongue. Moreouer, all the other Senses are double, and therefore Nature, though she had great reason to make the Tongue single for the commodity of the voyce, and such other circumstances as wee haue particularized in our History: yet that it might be after a sort double, she hath drawne a line through the middest whereby it is di∣uided into a right side and a left. On that manner there is no part in the mouth diuided, but in the mouth is the Sense of Taste, and therefore it must belong onely to the Toung.

Notes

• * 1.1

  That the pa∣late is not the organ of Tasting. Nor the teeth.
• * 1.2

  Nor the membrane of the Tongue. Valesius refuted.
• * 1.3

  The first argument.
• * 1.4

  The second argument.
• * 1.5

  The third argument.
• * 1.6

  Obiection out of Galen.
• * 1.7

  Galen ex∣pounded.
• * 1.8

  Obiection. Answer.
• * 1.9

  Galen expoun¦ded.
• * 1.10

  The conclu∣sion.
• * 1.11

  That the body of the toung is the true or∣gan.
• * 1.12

  Arguments.