Literary Notices. v 



method, which was slightly modified, as the character of the tissues ren- 

 dered it necessary. The nerves and nerve-endings especially consid- 

 ered are the following : 



/. Nerves in the vascular papillcR. The nerve-fibers in the vascu- 

 lar papillae have a double origin ; generally arising from the superficial 

 dermal plexus, more rarely from the subpapillary non-medullated 

 plexus. The majority of the nerves entering a papilla, of which 

 there may be one or two, rarely more, lose their medullary sheaths be- 

 fore they reach the papilla, in which they divide into a variable num- 

 ber of pale fibers which course toward the apex of the papilla. The 

 nerves in the vascular papillae form turn about the capillary loops, re- 

 sembling a vine as it winds around a branch. These nerves end in dis- 

 tinct terminal enlargements, which sometimes are near the capillary 

 loops, at other times at some distance from them. These terminal en- 

 largements vary in shape ; sometimes appearing in the form of a ter- 

 minal plate, similar to a motor plate, or, more rarely, as an arborescent 

 figure. The papillary nerves the author believes to be vaso-motor 

 nerves. [Judging, however, from the author's description, more par- 

 ticularly from his figures, it may be questioned whether the nerves here 

 described may not, more correctly, be regarded as some form of sen- 

 sory ending. Certainly they have nothing in common with vaso-motor 

 nerves in other organs.] 



//. Subpapillary non-medullated plexus. This non-medullated 

 plexus is found in the subpapillary layer, where it forms the superficial 

 vascular plexus. It originates from the superficial medullated plexus. 

 The non-medullated plexus consists of fine pale fibers which present 

 at short intervals varicosities of variable size. Its fibers terminate either 

 in the region of the plexus in fine filaments with terminal enlargements, 

 or enter the vascular papillae as above stated. From the topographic 

 position, and the anatomic character of the nerves of this plexus the 

 author ascribes to it vaso-motor function. 



///. Meissner's corpuscles. Rufifini's observations on Meissner's 

 corpuscles confirm much which has already been known concerning 

 this sensory nerve-ending ; much of what he states need therefore not 

 receive special consideration at this place. One or two medullated 

 nerves go to each corpuscle; these soon after entering it lose their med- 

 ullary sheath, the naked axis-cylinders forming a series of windings, 

 which the author speaks of as the " spiral turns of the axis-cylinders." 

 The axis-cylinders present in their course in the corpuscles, varicose 

 enlargements of cylindrical or club-shape, of a size equal to or exceed- 

 ing that of the medullated fibers of which these axis-cylinders are 



