PBOCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 37 



character would be found to obtain. All facts bearing uj)on this 

 general question were undoubtedly of tbe greatest interest, and too 

 much time could not be devoted to their elucidation. He did not feel 

 disposed to agree with the views now in favoiu- and supported by 

 Mr. Stewart with reference to the termination of the nerves in the 

 epithelium. He was ready to be convinced on seeing sj^ecimens, but 

 those he had examined were not satisfactory, nor had those who 

 entertained these views shown how the nerves reached the ultimate 

 points to which they traced them. Did the nerves get into the epithe- 

 lium when it was young, or wait till the epithelium was formed ? In 

 discussing the subject a great number of difficulties would present 

 themselves in the way of giving a feasible account of the distribution 

 of nervous fibres in the epithelial structiu*e. He thought many of the 

 drawings now made in Germany open to very severe criticism. For 

 instance, there was a paper on this question by Schobl, considered by 

 many who had seen it a very elaborate and beautiful memoir on the 

 distribution of the nerves of the bat's wing. He thought that 

 Schobl must have drawn upon his imagination, or had trusted the 

 designing as well as the execution of the beautiful lithographs accom- 

 panying his paper to an artist ignorant of structure. He (Dr. Beale) 

 had worked at the subject for a long time, and he would defy anyone 

 to prove that the nerve fibres in the trunks of the nerves ran in a 

 direction parallel to one another, as represented in all Schobl's draw- 

 ings. He challenged anyone to show him the smallest portion of 

 nerve fibre in which the nerves lie parallel to one another, as repre- 

 sented in the drawing, say for a distance of only the fiftieth part of an 

 inch. No one who had carefully examined specimens in which the 

 nerves were clearly demonstrated would have permitted them to be 

 delineated in the way represented. Everyone who had dissected 

 nerves knew that they did not lie one beside the other ; for if that 

 were so, nerves would tear longitudinally. He thought that those 

 who undertook the office of critics should examine the published 

 representations of different anatomical observers in this country, as well 

 as abroad, and carefully compare the various conclusions before they 

 committed themselves to a doctrine which within six months might 

 be supplanted by another of which they would speak with equal con- 

 fidence and equal favour. They should see the specimens which 

 have been prepared by observers who have worked at the subject, and 

 in different ways ; and when possible, the critics should make them- 

 selves acquainted with the points at issue, and endeavour to represent, 

 without favour, the views of different observers, instead of, as is too 

 often the case, siding with one, and endeavouring to carry the opinion 

 of others one particular way. In England the views of foreigners had, 

 he thought, a very imdue advantage ; they were accepted and exces- 

 sively praised, while many English critics scarcely noticed the con- 

 clusions of English observers. He alluded to the subject because the 

 general indifference shown in certain quarters to the investigations of 

 students in this country discouraged the study of minute anatomy 

 here. He would be happy to show his specimens to anyone who 

 would be willing to devote an hour or two to their investigation. 



