52 Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



reticulum below the corium with fibers — not only with such as 

 pass directly into the nerve bundles but, as we now find, with 

 with non-meduUated fibers which pass through the corium and 

 end in relation with the cells of the epithelium layer. We also 

 find that these and other fibers, after passing through the cor- 

 ium, turn and pass for long distances parallel to the surface to 

 their final destination in the upper layer. This seems to be par- 

 ticularly true of the fibers of the perigemmular series of the 

 sense buds. In some cases well defined bundles of nerves in a 

 common sheath pass through the corium, while in those cases 

 where the nerve sheath is present it is soon lost after passing 

 the corium. It seems natural to conclude that the non-medul- 

 lated fibers of the epithelium are essentially similar to the fibers 

 of the same structure that supply the glands. If so, we may 

 add that these are in both cases centrifugal and we have a sug- 

 gestisn at least toward the solution of the puzzle as to the re- 

 spective functions of the several classes of fibers. That the 

 general cells of the skin have more or less power of absorption 

 and excretion, as well as secretion, can hardly be doubted and, 

 if so, why may not these fibers from the disperse ganglia of the 

 peripheral sympathetic system be the neural sponsors for these 

 functions ? The methylene blue method reveals the same sens- 

 ory endings in the skin that we have described fully from histo- 

 logical preparations, but curiously enough they appear as fibers 

 simply because the nuclei are not stained and this fact explains 

 the discrepancy in the two methods. 



It is interesting to compare the intercellular net-work de- 

 scribed above with the similar so-called connective tissue net- 

 work described by Bruyne (Arch, de Biol., XII, 1892) sur- 

 rounding the muscle fibers. The figure given in the article by 

 the same author in Anat. Anzeiger, X, 1 8, is so remarkably 

 similar to the apearance we have called attention to that one may 

 be pardoned for suspecting similarity of nature. It may be that 

 more than one instance of intercellular bridges rests on the mis- 

 interpretation of similar structures. The relation of the space 

 so kept open between the cells to the circulatory fluid is a ques- 

 tion of greater interest than seems to have been suspected. 



