31 



our starting point, when in speaking about certain free endings, he 

 sajs that tlirough anostomoses they form a widely spread end- 

 structure, "welcher in der Form eines im allgemeinen weitmaschigen 

 varikcjsen Netzes von weithin ausgebreiter Ausdelinung erscheint", 

 whicii continues into the papillae, and there adiieres to ordinary 

 medullated fibers. He looks upon this nerve-complex as a "fiii- sich 

 bestehender sensibeler Appaiat der Lederhaut". He finds it again in 

 fishes and amphibia, so it is beyond doubt that he describes the 

 very network whicli Stephanelli discusses in his publication. 



DoGiKi;, an authority on end-organs, concurs with Jiii'i'iNi that the 

 lateral branches of the free papillary endings blend with the rete 

 amielinica: "Wie aus dem mitgeteilten hervorgeht, so hat das aus 

 Marklosen Aestchen und Faden zusainmengesetzte subpapillaire Ner- 

 vengetlecht, die uneingekappselte Nervenknauel sowie die Schleifen- 

 förmig gebogene Bundel und das intrapapillaire Fadennetz einen 

 und denselben Urspruiig". Also the Timofkew fibres of the Meissner- 

 corpuscles, which Dogikj, reckons among the sensorj system, go to 

 make up according to him, the intrapapillary nerve-complex by 

 means of their ultraterminals. 



Sfamp:ni, though far from adhering to the teoria unitaria gives a 

 description of the subepithelial plexus and of its connection with 

 tactile corpuscles and free endings, that accords fairly with Ruffint's. 

 Nor is it on the whole contradicted by Prentiss and Leontowitch in 

 their publications respectively of Rana and the human skin. 



It surely will not do to ignore the many differences between the 

 various authors, differences in theoretical conception, in appreciation 

 and in interpretation of their observations. Opposed to Dogiel, who 

 still holds that interlacement of the fibers is the fundamental pi-inciple 

 governing the structure of the network, are Botezat, Bethe, Ruffini, 

 Leontowitch, and Sfameni, who are convinced of the fusion of the 

 fibers. Prentiss wavers. It is a fact that the network is built up of 

 sensitive fibers. However, the question whether also sympathetic 

 elements are fused with it, is as yet unsettled. This depends in some 

 degree on the doubtful character of the Timofeew fibers. Still, though 

 the origin of the sensory part of the network is still uncertain, there 

 is no denying that, also in this respect, observers concur more and 

 more. As we observed before Botezat considers the whole network 

 to be made up of anastomotic free nerve-endings. Dogiei, also looks 

 upon them as the principal components, but according to him also 

 ultraterminals of the Timofeew system of the tactile corpuscles unite 

 with it. Sfameni believes there is also some connection with the 

 genital corpuscles; Leontowitch, Bethe, and Prentiss assume an 



