Buccal exposure to botulinal toxin.

as against being absorbed from lower reaches of the alimentary tract. When a small volume of food is placed in the mouth to be tasted, this act affords a greater opportunity for absorption of toxin from the buccal region than is the case if the food is immediately swallowed. In a recent review of the botulinal toxins (Lamanna and Carr, 1967) no reference was found to any comparative study of buccal exposure to toxin as distinguished from nonbuccal gastrointestinal exposure. In an experimental context, the latter is definable as the