94 D. A. RHINEHART 



There is also considerable evidence for the presence of both 

 afferent and efferent fibers in the great superficial petrosal nerve. 

 By staining the geniculate ganglion of the mouse by the Golgi 

 method von Lenhossek ('94) found fibers which pass directly 

 from the nervus intermedins into the great superficial petrosal 

 nerve. From this he erroneously concluded that the great 

 superficial petrosal is a motor nerve for the supply of the levator 

 veli palatini and levator uvulae muscles. After cutting the 

 great superficial petrosal nerve in dogs, Yagita ('14) found that 

 about one-twelfth of the cells of the geniculate ganglion show 

 typical Nissl degeneration, and that there were degenerated 

 cells in the formatio reticularis of the same side of the pons 

 extending from the middle to the upper third of the facial nucleus. 



Weigner ('05) mentions a bundle which passes directly from 

 the facial nerve to the great superficial petrosal through the 

 human geniculate ganglion. In the ground-squirrel he describes 

 a bundle between the nervus intermedins and the great super- 

 ficial petrosal nerve which has no connection with the ganglion 

 cells. He could not determine, he states, whether the fibers of 

 this bundle are processes of tjie scattered cells in the nervus inter- 

 medins or of those in the great superficial petrosal nerve. 



It is safe to conclude, therefore, that both the chorda tympani 

 and the great superficial petrosal nerve contain afferent fibers 

 whose cell bodies are located in the geniculate ganglion, and effer- 

 ent fibers which pass through the ganglion without connection 

 with its cells. 



BRANCHES OF THE NERVUS FACIALIS 

 1. Nervus petrosus superficialis 7?iajor 



It has been shown above that the nervus petrosus superficialis 

 major arises within the cranial cavity from the anterior pointed 

 extremity of the ganglion geniculi, and that it is composed of 

 fibers whose cell bodies are located in the ganglion, and others 

 which form a separate efferent root of the nervus intermedins. 



From its origin this nerve passes anteriorly for a short distance 

 along the lateral side of the ventral surface of the ganglion semi- 



