i90 



fibres. In extensit}' it is reduced in every direction, but the con- 

 struction is entirely normal. 



This discovery is directly opposite to that of Bolton ^), who states 

 for special strata a considerable diminution and moreover admits 

 for anophthalmy a shortening of the area striata in a sagittal direction 

 to half its length. In his one case (p. 203) the area striata did not 

 extend farther than half way the sulc. calcariiius, in so far as it 

 limits the cuneus ventrally. As oue sees from the reproductions 

 our anophthalmos by no means answers this condition; the photo- 

 graphs of the Nissl-preparations prove for tlie cell-percentage likewise 

 what \Ve communicated above. The hitter, besides being contrary 

 to Bolton's statements, is likewise at variance with Leonowa's ") 

 discoveries in this respect. This author, who disposed of more cases 

 examined however only very young children aged at the utmost 2 

 months. In our opinion greater conclusive value should be ascribed 

 to our case. 



We cannot decidedly ascertain the signification that must be 

 attached to ihe comparatively less beautiful and complete develop- 

 ment of the large supra-granular cells in area 18. It is well-known 

 that English investigators (Campbell, Mott, Bolton) are accustomed 

 to distiuguish this cortical area specially as the visuo-psychic area. 

 Though — in our opinion on good grounds — one may only 

 hesitatingly apply such a localising nomenclature to special parts 

 of the cortex, it cannot but be admitted that field 18 is very nearly 

 concerned with the optical impressions which, at any rate, are 

 received in its immediate vicinity — field 17 — . 



In this train of thought it would be explicable, that elements 

 which under nornjal conditions take part in retaining or modifying 

 etc. optical, eventually modi tied stimuli but cannot perform the 

 principal part of their activity on account of the existence of anoph- 

 thalmy, show the vestiges of it in their construction. The fact that 

 exactly these seem to suffer most under the perpetual optical inactivity 

 of the organism should then be attributed either to their great 

 vulnerability (connected perhaps with their tardy embryogenetic 

 maturiiy) or to the fact that, exactly by their size, histological 

 modifications are sooner visible. It is at all events a fact that, as 

 we mentioned above, we could not discover any pathological pro- 

 perties in the cells of area 17 itself 



1) Bolton: The exact histological localisation of the visual area of the human 

 cerebral cortex. Philos. Transact. R. S. of London, Series B. vol. 193, p.p. 165—222. 



~) Leonowa: Beitr. z. Kenntniss der secund Verander, der prim. opt. Centren 

 u. Bahnen u. s. vv. Ai-ch. f. Psych. Bd. 28, S. 53, 1896. 



