19 
rather frequent illustration being found in Fig. 4, no. 1. Ramon y 
CAsAL regards these bulbs apparently as nerve cells, a view which 
seems to me incompatible with their position with respect to the free 
surface of the intestine. 
With much more probability they may be regarded as the proper 
termination (beginning) of the nerve supply of the villi, corresponding 
in some measure to the tactile corpuscles of the finger tips, though 
much inferior to them in size. They are present in considerable 
numbers in each villus, well stained sections often showing twelve to 
fifteen in each. Free endings of the nerves, other than in this bulbar 
form, I have not been able to determine; those apparently ending free, 
may often after closer study be seen to return to the meshwork. 
In the most central region of the villus in close proximity to the 
main vessels and lacteal, but especially in that quarter closest to the 
free surface of the intestine, the nerve plexus is especially thick, the 
meshwork narrow, and the fibres fine. Bulbar terminations in the most 
central portions of the villus I have not been able to find, possibly 
a second variety of nerve expansion may exist, Drascu having de- 
scribed endings of fine filaments in the smooth muscle cells of the villi. 
Traces of such endings have not fallen under my eye the exceedingly 
delicate plexus being the only nerve representative in this region, that 
the silver method brings out with certainity. 
All nerves of the intestinal mucous membrane belong to the sym- 
pathetic system and are destitute of medullary covering. 
Conclusions: (1) The nerve supply of the mucous membrane of the 
small intestine is entirely derived from the plexus of MEISSNER. (2) 
From the nerve bundles that ascend to the villi side branches are 
given off in the muscularis mucosae, which terminate in what may be 
considered motor plates, and these endings are through their main 
trunk equally connected with the plexus of MEISSNER and the nerve 
terminations of the villi. (3) A complete plexus of nerves is present 
between the muscular fibres of the muscularis mucosae. (4) Two sub- 
sidiary plexuses are to be found within the limits of the mucosa proper, 
the Lieberkiihnian supplying in an unknown manner the glandular 
structures, and the villous supplying the intestinal tufts, their ter- 
minations in part being through small rounded knobs, situated for the 
most part immediately beneath the epithelial covering. Free endings 
of nerves in the form of arborizations or single endings, are not 
shown by the silver method. 
Path. Lab. Johns Hopkins Hosp., 
June 25, 1892. 
Q* 
