The third and most serious obstacle presented by malformation or malposition of parts is a pendent epiglottis--_i.e._ an epiglottis which by being bent too far over covers the laryngeal opening and prevents a view. This obstacle exists to a certain extent in most cases that come under observation, but is easily overcome by letting the patient sound the vowel sound of _eh_, which causes a rising of the epiglottis and opens the laryngeal cavity to view. There are some cases, however, in which this expedient does not sufficiently raise the epiglottis to obtain a glimpse of the vocal cords, and only the arytenoid cartilages are seen, from the motion and color of which we can often obtain valuable information in regard to pathological processes. In these cases, when it becomes absolutely necessary to see the whole extent of the vocal cords, we may succeed by causing the patient to laugh in a high key, but when this fails the only resource left is to lift the epiglottis by grasping its upper margin with a pair of curved forceps especially designed for this purpose and called epiglottis forceps (Fig. 6). If this instrument is not at hand, the same object may be attained by clasping the edge of the epiglottis with a bull-nose forceps, to which is fastened a string weighted at the other end by a small weight, such as a rifle-bullet. The string with its weight hanging out of the mouth of the patient makes traction upon the forceps, and thus the epiglottis is raised. In cases of operation within the laryngeal cavity this method of raising the epiglottis is even preferable to the epiglottis forceps, because it leaves the hands of the operator free to use the mirror and the instrument to be used in operating. [Illustration: FIG. 6. Elsberg's Sponge-holder and Epiglottis Forceps.]