258 PROGRESS OF MICROSCOPICAL SCIENCE. 
before extrusion from the uterus. The secretions of the ovary, testes, 
and yelk-glands seem to meet in the uterine pouch, and to form 
by their union a fully developed egg, which passes thence into the 
uterus. The outer covering of the animal has a tuberculated appear- 
ance under the microscope, but has no cellular formation. 
Microscopic Changes in the Brain of the Insane-—This is not a 
subj:ct from which we can hope for much results at present. Still it 
is necessary to record any results that are arrived at. Therefore a 
paper that originally appeared in the ‘Dublin Journal of Medical 
Science, and which has been abstracted in the ‘Medical Record’ 
(March 15, 1877), is of interest. The author, Dr. Atkins, after 
referring to the elementary histology of the cortex of the brain, em- 
braces under three heads the morbid changes he observed in insanity, 
affecting—Ilst, the nerve-cells; 2nd, the neurogla; 3rd, the nerve- 
fibres. With regard to the former, the writer first alludes to the 
fuscous degeneration, and apparently does not hesitate to regard it as 
identical in its nature with the fatty degeneration of Blandford, and 
the granular degeneration of Major. The stages of pathogenesis are 
grouped under the heads of infiltration, precipitation, and disintegra- 
tion. The chemical nature of the change is regarded as pigmentary 
rather than fatty. To the pathology of simple atrophy Dr. Atkins 
adds nothing fresh, and he does not appear to appreciate the fact that 
the so-called “ giant-cells” are found, when searched for, in all brains. 
Under the morbid changes of the neuroglia, the coarse fibrillar ap- 
pearance seen often in epilepsy is regarded as a form of sclerosis. 
Disseminated and miliary sclerosis are then dealt with, and the pre- 
sence of colloid and amyloid bodies referred to. With regard to the 
nerve-fibres, Dr. Atkins appears dubious upon the significance of 
appearance, which (from his description) must be regarded as the 
varicose condition artificially produced, and which certainly does 
not approach the description of Mr. Hamilton’s artificially induced 
myelitis. 
The Circulatory System in Magelona.—The anatomy of this curious 
annelid has been gone into very carefully by Dr. McIntosh, who says 
of the circulatory system that the blood is a densely corpusculated 
fluid, the corpuscles having a pinkish colour. There are two large 
dorsal vessels which arise, near the tip of the tail, from the bifurca- 
tion of the ventral trunk. They pass forward along the dorsal arch 
of the alimentary canal, receiving in each segment a large branch 
from the ventral trunk and numerous capillaries from the intestinal 
wall, until the posterior border of the tenth segment is reached. At 
this part their dilated walls are supplied with powerful muscles, 
which, on the relaxation of the great muscles of the ninth segment, 
enable them to perform the functions of contractile chambers or 
“hearts,” and by vigorous systole send the blood forward in a swift 
stream along the single dorsal vessel of the anterior region. On 
arriving at the base of the snout the vessel ends in the efferent branch 
to the tentacle on each side. The current rushes along the latter 
(nearly at right angles to the dorsal trunk) to the tips, sending off in 
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