20 University of California Puhlimtions in Anatomy [Vol. 2 



the striate area, and in such a way damaging the terminal branches 

 of the particular bundles of the visual radiation, sufficient changes of 

 the nerve cells in the lateral geniculate body would be obtained. This 

 would make possible not only a satisfactory knowledge of the projec- 

 tion of various segments of the mentioned body — and thus of the 

 retina upon the striate area, and so forth— but would as well prove or 

 disprove the assumption of a structural basis for the preservation of 

 the ''figures" in visual acts. (Compare Chapters XVI and XIX.) 

 In our experiments the Nissl-Spielmeyer's method of staining with 

 thionine blue was used in most cases and it proved to be satisfactory, 

 giving clear differences between normal and degenerated cells; only 

 in one instance was the method of Van Gieson used, which, though it 

 gave fairly good results appeared for our purpose decidedly inferior 

 to Nissl's method. The camera lucida of Zeiss was used in preparing 

 the illustrations. 



Conclusions regarding the three paths investigated were obtained 

 from eleven experiments ; other results from experiments not reported 

 in detail here, altogether twenty-five single experiments performed on 

 twenty-one brains, are also briefly mentioned. The description of the 

 afferent paths in the present report is as complete as possible, includ- 

 ing all finer details, and the illustrations are made as faithfully as can 

 be, to enable the reader to form his own independent judgment and 

 conclusions. The accompanying illustrations — all drawn by the author 

 himself— are actual drawings of the sections made with the help of the 

 camera lucida of Zeiss and Leitz, the details representing the degen- 

 erated fibers being combined, as a rule, from a few closely neighboring 

 sections. Preference was given to drawings since the details of photo- 

 graphs when reproduced usually lose greatly in distinctness. The 

 terminology of the thalamus is that used by Marburg (1927). 



