328 American Quarterly Alicroscopica! Journal. 



The first noticeable peculiarity of the tactile hair, as in the snout of a 

 mouse, is the threat size of the follicle, several times the diameter of an 

 ordinar}' hair follicle. This follicle has a swelling at a point about one- 

 third of the distance from the top, which corresponds with a remarkable 

 enlargement within. 



Two-thirds of the lower portion of the follicle is surrounded by striated 

 muscular fibers, which appear to arise from the side of the follicle and 

 then pass off to a considerable distance to become lost in the muscular 

 fibers of the lips. These muscles are furnished with a rich plexus of un- 

 usually large capillaries. Other muscles are attached to the hair in a 

 manner somewhat similar to the ordinary erectors of the hair, but are 

 more abundant and of the striated variety. 



Within the follicle, and outside the root-sheath of the hair, is a close 

 plexus of very fine capillaries, which send branches over the enlargement 

 before mentioned and form a peculiar ring-like plexus above it. Between 

 the branches of this ring-like plexus there is but little tissue ; but in the 

 mouse and cat, at least, it does not form a sinus, as is claimed by some. 



The enlargement surrounds the hair excentrically and consists of two 

 parts, the outer of which, when the follicle is divided longitudinally 

 through the center of the hair, is nearly circular in outline and is attached 

 to the inner part by a short, thick pedicel. It is interspersed with oblong 

 nuclei. The inner part is not so wide, but is longer and surrounds the 

 root-sheath like a band. 



The speaker considered these last structures to be of a nature similar 

 to the terminal organs of nerves found in other jjortions of the body, but 

 was not prepared at present to prove this position. 



The paper was illustrated by diagrams on the black-board as well as by 

 numerous slides, and closed with a brief bibliography of the subject. 



The annual address of the President reviewed the work of the Society 

 for the past year, recommended informal meetings at the residences of 

 members during the summer, and concluded with a general resume of 

 microscopical work for the year. 



The Society then proceeded to the election of officers for the coming 

 year, with the following result : 



President, Dr. H. A. Johnson ; Vice-Presidents, Prof. H. H. Babcock 

 and Dr. Lester Curtis ; Treasurer, W. H. Summers ; Recording Secre- 

 tary, E. B. Stuart ; Corresponding Secretary, Dr. Wm. T. Belfield, Rush 

 Medical College ; Trustees, H. W. Fuller, Prof. E. S. Bastin, Jas. Col- 

 grove, B. W. Thomas and H. F. Atwood. 



The Society then passed a vote of thanks to Mr. Fuller, for his faithful 

 efforts in its interest during the period of his presidency, extending over 

 eight successive years. 



President Johnson and Messrs. Curtis, Babcock, Fuller and Stuart were 

 elected a committee to appoint a delegate from the Society to the National 

 Committee of Micrometry. p. g g-j-n^R-j- Sec 



