Prentiss, PeripJieral Networks. 1 1 3 



It has already been shown that certain of the fibers of the 

 subepithelium network are directly continuous with medullated 

 nerves. In the figures two such cases are seen; at times such 

 fibers could be traced a considerable distance along the degener- 

 ate nerves of the medullated plexus. These fibers showed all 

 the normal characteristics of medullated nerves, but were never 

 observed in the large nerve trunks. Other medullated fibers 

 connected with the subepithelial network showed degenerative 

 changes up to the point where they lost their myelin sheaths. 

 As far as observed the only normal medullated fibers to be 

 found in these degeneration preparations, were those connected 

 with the subepithelial network. This network was found stained 

 in all parts of the palate. The perivascular networks were not 

 so completely demonstrated, but this was probably due to 

 incomplete staining rather than to the degeneration of the net- 

 works about the vessels. For these networks are never com- 

 pletely stained in normal preparations. When stained in the 

 degeneration preparations, neither fibers nor cells of the perivas- 

 cular network show histological differences when compared with 

 normal preparations (Fig. 12). As far as structure and staining 

 qualities go, the one cannot be distinguished from the other. 



Fig. 12. A portion of a nerve network about the walls of a small vessel, 

 from the same preparation as figure li. X 360. 



These series of degeneration preparations prove therefore 

 that the peripheral networks of fibers and cells will retain their 

 normal structure after five weeks of isolation from the central ner- 



