The Journal of 



Comparative Neurology and Psychology 



Volume XVII N0VEMBP:R, 1907 Number 6 



THE NERVES AND NERVE-ENDINGS IN THE MEM- 

 BRANA TYMPANI. 



r.Y 

 J. GORDON WILSON, M.A., M.B. (Edin.) 

 i^Hull Laboratory of Anatomy, University of Cliica^o.') 



With Plate V. 



In studying the membrana tympani we are struck by the unsatis- 

 factory state of our knowledge in regard to the nerve supply and 

 the nerve terminations in that structure. Jacques, writing in 

 1900, stated that our knowledge was still as it had been left by 

 Kessel in 1870, accurate in most points so far as it went, but 

 incomplete and unsatisfactory because of the technical methods 

 then employed. This state of affairs he ascribes to the difficulty of 

 the technique inherent in its structure and an inexplicable indif- 

 ference to the organ in question. Jacques' paper was followed 

 by an account by U. Calami da ('01 ). In both of these communi- 

 cations additions were made to our knowledge, but much was 

 left indefinite and undecided. It may be, as acknowledged by 

 Jacques, that it had been difficult to fix the exact position of the 

 impregnated tissues. In neither case were drawings illustrating 

 the conclusions published. The only paper with illustrations is 

 that of Deinike ('05); but here only the horse and the ox have 

 been studied. 



My object in this investigation was to locate more exactly the 

 course of the nerves, to show the mode of ending and to ascertain, 

 if possible, the distribution in the membrane of the nerve trunks 

 which pass to it. 



The literature on this subject is by no means voluminous and is 

 chiefly contained in the works of Kessel, Jacques, U. Calamida 

 and Deinike. Kessel ('70) pointed out, (i) That the principal 



