vi Journal of Comparative Neurology. 



branches. The club-shaped varicosities are more numerous in the peri- 

 phery of the corpuscles, while in its central portion the cylindrical ones 

 predominate. 



In surface preparations of Meissner's corpuscles, Jmore especially 

 on superficial examination, the observer is led to conclude that the pale 

 spiral fibers give off at the periphery of the corpuscle numerous short 

 processes which end in cylindrical or club-shaped enlargements. That 

 this is not the case Ruffini was able to show in sections and in prepar- 

 ations made by crushing the stained tissue. Such preparations show 

 that the interior of the corpuscles is occupied by an intricate winding 

 of axis-cyhnders, in the course of which the cylindrical and club-shaped 

 enlargements are found, these in surface preparations presenting the 

 appearance of short branches. The nerves terminate in a peculiar, 

 granular substance, which stains a pale violet or a rose color in gold- 

 chloride. In this substance nuclei are found, more numerous toward 

 the periphery of the corpuscle ; these Rufifini believes to be cells of 

 mesodermic origin, agreeing in this respect with Ranvier. Some of the 

 Meissner's corpuscles present monolobate appendages, one, two or 

 even three having been observed. Meissner's corpuscles, with such 

 lateral or apical extensions are found especially in low papillae. 



IV. Fiocchetii papillari. (Little tassel or tuft of flowers.) Under 

 this name Ruffini describes what he believes to be a new nerve ending 

 in the skin. The nerve-fibers forming this ending may be derived from 

 a nerve-fiber going to a Meissner's corpuscle, or from the superficial 

 plexus of the dermis. It is generally distributed to a vascular papilla, 

 less frequently to a tactile papilla. The fiber as it enters the papilla 

 divides into a variable number of varicose, non-meduUated secondary 

 fibers, which intertwine more or less and always end in terminal en- 

 largements. Ruffini believes these nerve endings to have a function 

 similar to that of Meissner's corpuscles. 



Accompanying this monograph, there are five double plates con- 

 taining 62 carefully and artistically executed figures. 



DR. DEWITT and G. CARL HUBER. 



Researches upon the Real Origins of the Cranial Nerves. 



Under this title Professor van Gehuchten during the year 1898 

 contributed an important series of papers to the Journal de Neurologic. 



I. The first study was devoted to the oculomotor nerves and was 

 especially designed to demonstrate by degeneration experiments with 

 the Nissl method the exact number and arrangement of the crossed 

 fibers present in these roots. 



