THE EYE. 



423 



of the lid, forming" a wide-meshed plexus. Around each g-land the 

 plexus becomes finer and by numerous branchings much closer ; from 

 the plexus twigs are given off, which divide to form a number of 

 fibrils traceable into the epithelial cells of the glands (Openchowski). 

 The vessels of the lower eyelid have been investigated by Strieker, 

 (/. c.) ; according to him they possess some interesting peculiarities. 

 Many of these capillaries course within a lymphatic vessel, in 

 some places the capillary being contracted by a projection from 



Fia-. 261. 



Prejiaiatiiins from the nictitating membrane of Kana cscidciita to show distribution of ner\es. 



I. Preparation of the nictitating membrane to show nervous supply to a capillary vessel ; after 

 Klein. Hartnack, Oc. Ill, Obj. 8. 



a Capillary vessel. 

 6 Blood-corjjuscles. 

 (• and d Non-niedullated nerve-fibres. 



II. To show distribution of nerves in the epithelium ; after Klein. Hartnack, Oc. IV, Obj. 8. 



> Subepithelial nerve-fibres. 



, c Fine fibrils between the deepest epithelial cells. 

 d Deepest epithelial cells. 



its inner wall ; where this is found the accompanying lymphatic 

 is correspondingly dilated. Such points are especially met with 

 where the capillaries branch ; in many cases the capillary was con- 

 tracted to such an extent that the blood-corpuscles were imable 

 to pass the obstruction. Strieker further observed in the living 

 tissue that such constrictions could take place in a part which a 

 short time previously had been comparatively wide and dilated; 

 further, that many of the nerves were enclosed in similar lymphatics. 

 Langer, however (/. <?.), describes the vessels as being accompanied 

 by an irregular network of small lymphatic vessels. 



The distribution of the nerves in the lower eyelid has been de- 

 scribed by Klein. In the epithelium they form a network re- 

 sembling that found in the cornea (Fig. 261 II) ; along the blood- 

 vessels the fine fibrils form a perivascular network, which supplies 



