Nov. 1, 1919 Pathology of Dourine 153 



present and chromatolysis had reached a stage where the chromatophil 

 granules had disintegrated and in some of the cells totally disappeared. 

 Here the name of plasmolysis is more applicable. 



EXTRASPINAL NERVE TRUNKS 



The great sciatic nerv^e was the only ner\'e trunk examined. The 

 nerves from both sides were taken in each case, and transverse and 

 longitudinal sections were made. The same stains were used as for the 

 brain and cord, except that the Nissel method was omitted. The trans- 

 verse sections v/ere more instructive than the longitudinal. A number 

 of the medullated fibers showed degeneration. A cross section of the 

 fiber appeared as a circle with a dot in the center, corresponding to the 

 axis cylinder. In many of the fibers the degeneration was so complete 

 that the myelin as well as the axis cylinder disintegrated completely, 

 leaving a granular mass behind. The circular outline of the cut fiber 

 could not be distinguished. The funiculus therefore contained fewer 

 circles which were separated by disintegrated material. The endo- 

 neurium was slightly increased in amount. The perineurium was more 

 increased and the outlines of the individual funiculi became more dis- 

 tinct. There was also an increase in the number of connective tissue 

 cells. The epineurium was more hypertrophied than the perineurium 

 or the endoneurium. Scattered between the funiculi a number of 

 perivascular inflammatory foci were present, besides the increase of 

 irregularly scattered connective tissue cells. The left sciatic showed a 

 greater number of degenerated fibers than the right. The Marchi 

 method showed a fair number of black clumps in the interior of the 

 funiculi. In longitudinal sections the black clumps were arranged in 

 continuous rows in the more peripherally disposed funiculi. In the left 

 nerve the rows of black clumps were longer, and more iibers were affected 

 than in the right nerv^e. 



SUMMARY 



The microscopic examination of the brain showed no appreciable 

 changes in the nerve cells, the supporting tissue, or in the blood vessels. 

 In the cer\^ical, anterior, and middle dorsal portions of the spinal cord 

 lesions could not be demonstrated even with the most sensitive methods 

 of staining; and in the posterior dorsal portion the lesions were very 

 slight, gradually increasing in the lumbar enlargement and becoming 

 most marked in the sacral region. Degeneration in the sensory ganglion 

 cells was present in all stages, varying from the beginning stage of 

 chromatolysis that could barely be detected by the Nissel method alone 

 to advanced degeneration and disintegration of plasmolysis that was 

 brought out by less sensitive methods. The motor ganglion cells and 

 the cells in the column of Clark showed such slight alteration that it was 

 difficult to trace chromatolysis in them. The ner\'e cells of the spinal 



