698 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



port on tlie paper by M. van Bnmboke. Dealing with the action of the 

 perii^heral nervous system on the centres of respiration, M. Fredericq 

 points out the remarkable influence of the linoumogastric nerve ; 

 after describing his methods, a description of which would be out of 

 place here, the author states that he has repeated the ancient experi- 

 ment of Traube, in which it was found that in artificial respiration the 

 original rhythm of the respiratory movements is adapted to the rhythm 

 of the inspirations ; but that when the imcumogastric nerves are cut 

 this relation is lost. To complete this observation it was necessary to 

 repeat the observations of Breuer, which in the words of M. van Bam- 

 beke " n'ont pas encore passe dans le domaine classique de la physio- 

 logic." These experiments tend to prove that there are in the pneu- 

 mogastric nerve centripetal fibres, which arrest respiration in the stage 

 of active expiration, and which are stimulated by the mechanical dis- 

 tension of the lung. M. Fredericq has been able to convince himself 

 of the arrest of respiration in the expiratory stage ; and the final 

 conclusion is arrived at that there are centripetal fibres in the pneu- 

 mogastric passing some to an inspiratory as well as some to an expi- 

 ratory centre. Anatomy oifers no aid in distinguishing these two 

 sets of fibres, but it is found that chloral hydrate diminishes the 

 action of the inspiratory fibres (or, rather, depresses the centre to 

 which they go) ; when veritably poisoned by this drug every excita- 

 tion, mechanical, chemical, or electric, arrests respiration in the 

 expiratory stage, and it appears that this drug has, in large doses, 

 the eftbct of slowing the respiratory movements till they disappear. 



Ovary and the Corpus Luteum.* — The investigations of G. K. 

 Wagoner were chiefly made on the ovary of the bitch, though human 

 subjects, moles, rodents, and other animals were also examined ; the 

 ovaries were, when possible, taken warm from the animal, and were, 

 after division, placed in Miiller's fluid, from which they were, after 

 three days, removed to strong alcohol. On other occasions ovaries 

 were examined, in the fresh state, in iodized serum. 



The Epithelmm. — This is placed over the whole of the free surface 

 of the ovary, and is directly applied to the fibrous cortical layer ; in 

 its cells there may be observed rods which are set perpendicularly to 

 the surface of the ovary. The nucleus, which is rounded, and presents 

 a double contour, is very commonly of one size. There is, however, 

 no epithelium over the point at which ova are escaping, or have 

 escaped, and it is also absent in aged specimens. In the simple 

 striated form there are a few larger cells, to which Waldeyer has 

 applied the name of primitive ova ; as to the stomata of the same 

 author, it is said that they are mere spaces due to the incompleteness 

 of the fusion of the cells 



Cortical Latjer. — The author points out that the arteries in this 

 region are not of a large size, as some have supposed, and that their 

 muscular layer can only be said to be strongly developed in pro- 

 portion to the calibre of the vessels. As to the vexed question of the 

 muscular character of the spindle-cells which so largely compose it, 



* 'Arch. Aiiiit. iind Entw.' (Ilis and Braune). (ISTO) p. 175. 



