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Nachdruck verboten 



Notice on Prof. W. Newton-Parker's communication „On the 

 poison-organs of Tracliinus". 



By Prof. J. H. Chievitz, Copenhagen. 



In the above-named commimication (Auatomischer Anzeiger, No. 16) 

 Professor Newton Parkeii names as the only authors, known to him, 

 who have mentioned the existence of poison - glands in Trachinus : 

 Byerley, Günther, Allman and Wiedersheim, and in the following 



adds: „concerning the effects of the poison, comp Schmidt 



(Nord. Med. Arch.) . . . ." 



The treatise of Schmidt (Om Fjuersingens Stik og Giftredskaber, 

 Nord. Med. Arkiv 1874) being written in the Danish language, and 

 the French resume annexed to it being rather short as to the ana- 

 tomical point, I beg leave, in regard of my deceased master, to ex- 

 plain, that his paper does not only treat of the effects of the poison. 

 It also, and chiefly contains a very minute macro- and microscopical 

 description of the poison-organs in Trachinus draco, as well of those at 

 the operculum, as of the apparatus at the dorsal spines. 



In the glands there are two dittereut forms of epithelial cells, 

 which morphologically correspond to the two forms generally found in 

 the outer epidermis of fishes , viz. the tegumentary epithelium cells 

 and the secerning „goblet-cells". In following the epithelium from 

 the outer surface down into that involuted portion, which constitutes 

 the epithelium of the glands, the tegumentary cells are found to pre- 

 sent a series of transitory shapes, growing gradually flattened and ra- 

 mified so as to form at last a reticulated supporting tissue, in w'hich 

 the secretory cells are imbedded. The secretory cells of the glands 

 are also difl'erent from those of the outer epidermis; they are very 

 large, and more or less filled with drops of various size: their se- 

 cretion. These drops, when gradually growing larger, come up to the 

 surface of the cell and get out, leaving behind them a neatly-lined 

 groove in the cell; and then find their way out of the gland by passing 

 among the cells, where they often may be seen when the cells are 

 left in situ, though in this condition a glandular lumen does not 

 appear as an open channel. — The paper of Schmidt is accompanied 

 by a copper-plate. 



