Structure^ and Life of the Human Hair. 167 



somewhat difficult to isolate them. On the one hand, they 

 pass uninterruptedly into the cells of the epithelium, which 

 clothes the inner surface of the capsule with a thick layer, and 

 agree with them tolerably well in size, but are distinguished 

 by their dark colour ; for the cells of the epithelium are almost 

 quite light and clear. On the other hand, they are continued 

 into the cells of that portion of the pulp which lies free in the 

 capsule ; but here also they have undergone various changes. 

 They are distinctly arranged in rows, and are so much dimi- 

 nished in breadth, while the length remains nearly the same, 

 or but little increased, that the length exceeds the breadth 

 three or four times, so that the whole pulp at this place is con- 

 siderably diminished in thickness. There is but rarely an im- 

 perfect trace of a nucleus, and, in consequence of the contrac- 

 tion, it appears merely as a fine dark streak between the out- 

 lines of the cell. Each cell is continued at both ends in the 

 form of an extremely fine thread, which meets a corresponding 

 one of a neighbouring cell. These threads are so fine that 

 under the microscope they present only a simple dark line, 

 and exhibit no trace of separate outlines, so that we cannot 

 form a decided opinion as to their further structure, although 

 it is not improbable that they are hollow but extremely fine 

 continuations of the cellular membrane. By means of these 

 the cells are united in a connected series, into a thread, which 

 is from place to place enlarged (the cellular bodies), and be- 

 tween is sensibly diminished (the cellular continuations), and 

 which exhibits the essential characters of the epithelium of 

 Valentin with its threaded rows. The length of the enlarged 

 and contracted portions is nearly the same. These fibres lie 

 parallel to one another, and appear to be united by a light- 

 coloured and transparent cytohlastema. In an otherwise un- 

 injured pulp, these threads are sometimes removed from one 

 another by pressure, in such a manner that some of the cellu- 

 lar bodies, probably after the tearing away of the uniting 

 threads, project more or less in the whole circumference of the 

 pulp. An appearance is thus presented simulai* to that which 

 Gurlt has referred to the so-termed root-fibres of the hair.* I 



• Figured by him in the article alreadjr (juoted, Fig. 9. A. 



