REVIEW OF RECENT RESEARCHES 145 



great importance is Wegener's communication, in 

 which he states that, in cases of neuritis, muscle 

 tissue is decomposed. 



Finally, we may refer to the fact that experiments 

 have been made with a view to throwing light upon 

 the etiology of diseases of the eye, the causes of 

 which are not yet known with certainty. Sympathetic 

 ophthalmia provides features of particular interest. 

 The researches carried on in this connection, by 

 v. Hippel and Hegener, show distinctly that the 

 defensive ferments exhibit specific activities. The 

 number of observations is as yet too small to enable 

 us to draw definite conclusions therefrom. In con- 

 nection with these latter observations we may point 

 out, how important it is to follow up every case, 

 clinically, over a long period, and in no case to pay 

 attention onlv to the disease which o'ave rise to the 



<_?> 



investigation. In particular, the further course of 

 the disease should be followed up in all its phases. 

 We have, in the dialysation process and in the optical 

 method, means which allow us to test the functions 

 of organs over long periods of time. 



The observations, which we have here brieflv 



/ 



sketched out, will certainly undergo rapid extension 

 in various directions. Perhaps it will be found later 

 on, that there are other explanations than those which 

 have been developed here ; and it is highly probable 

 that some of the earlier results, which were obtained 

 10 



