LITERARY NOTICES. 



structure of the Cardiac Ganglia.' 



The method employed in this research was the methylene blue 

 method as modified by Dogiel. Observations were made on material 

 obtained from new born infants, and from the dog, cat, sheep and rab- 

 bit. It may be worth noting in this connection, that in one instance 

 Dogiel was able to stain the heart-nerves in the human heart nine hours 

 after death. 



Heart ganglion cells. — In shape, the majority of ganglion cells in 

 the heart are multipolar ; some bipolar cells were seen, also a few uni- 

 polar cells. The capsules of these ganglion cells extend on to the neur- 

 axes and dendrites. 



Three types of ganglion cells are described : 



{a). Ganglion cells of type one. The cell bodies of these cells may 

 be round, oval or angular. They stain less readily in methylene blue 

 than do the cells of the other two types. The number of their den- 

 drites varies from 2 to 16. These are short, thick and sometimes flat- 

 tened ; are beset with varicosities, and divide near the cell, and, after 

 further division, end in a bundle of short, thick, varicose branches, 

 which are often beset with thorn-Hke branches. These dendrites form 

 a dense network between the cells of the ganglion. The neuraxis begins 

 in a cone, either directly from the cell body or from one of the den- 

 drites, and is of variable size ; may be smooth or varicose and is non- 

 medullated. The neuraxes of these cells are thought to end in the 

 musculature of the heart ; they may thus be regarded as belonging to 

 the motor sympathetic cells and fibers. 



{b). Cells of second type. In the shape of the cell-body, these 

 do not differ materially from those of the first type. The majority are 

 multipolar J some bi- and unipolar cells belong however to this type. 

 They are usually found in small groups or rows or singly, by the side of, 

 or within nerve-bundles. The number of the dendrites varies from i 



^A. S. Dogiel. Zur Frage iiber den feineren Bau der Herzganglien des 

 Menschen und der Siugethiere. Archiv f. Mik. Anat., Vol. LIII, No. 2, 

 Nov. 189S. 



