174 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



the sections, about 20 jx in thickness having been counter 

 stained in alum carmine. 



A study of these figures will show that, in case the sarco- 

 lemma {S) is clearly made out, it passes over the motorial end- 

 plate. The sections from which these figures were taken, as 

 also many others, leave no doubt concerning this point. 



Most writers have agreed with Kiihne in stating that the 

 neurolemma of the nerve fiber terminating in the end-plate is 

 continuous with the sarcolemma, covering the end-plate. This 

 we can confirm in our sections, as Fig. 4, 7, 10 and ii may 

 show. In these figures, n. /. , the neurolemma can be traced 

 with the utmost clearness into S, the sarcolemma. 



J he termination of the axis-cylinaer — das Geivcih. Writers 

 are agreed that the arborescent figure seen in the motorial end- 

 plate when stained with the various dyes, is the continuation of 

 the axis cylinder of the medullated fiber terminating in the 

 motor ending. This is most clearly seen in a striped muscle, the 

 motor endings in which have been stained int7'a vitam with 

 methylene blue. In well stained preparations, only the axis 

 cylinders and their branched endings are stained blue, all other 

 structures remaining unstained. The branched endings of the 

 axis cylinder in a motorial end-plate may thus be regarded as 

 the end-brush, or more correctly speaking, one of several end- 

 brushes, of the neuraxis of a motor neuron. 



Kiihne has most carefully studied the structure of these 

 branched endings of the axis cylinder — das Geiveih — in gold 

 chloride preparations, and, without going into a lengthy account 

 of the results obtained by him, the following brief statement 

 may be given to show his conclusions as to their structure. 

 Kiihne describes an axial fiber as axial tree — Axialbajim — which 

 stains more deeply in gold chloride and is looked upon as rep- 

 resenting the ultimate fibrillae of the axis cylinder, and d^ stroma, 

 which in the living axis cylinder and end-branches is distributed 

 between the ultimate fibrillar, but in the gold chloride prepara- 

 tions, forms a peripheral zone, surrounding the axial fibers ; 

 this does not stain in the gold solutions or stains only very 

 lightly. This differentiation is well shown in Kiihne's figures 



