Royal MieroseojQical Society. 159 



nerves of the cornea is that some remarks have been made by Dr. 

 Bealo before this Society, on finer non-medullated nerve fibres ; 

 how far these are right I shall be able to show. First of all, I find 

 in his memoir in the ' Monthly Microscopical Journal ' for January, 

 1872, jDage 4, the following sentences: — " My own conclusions on the 

 ultimate distribution of nerve fibres were formed several years ago, 

 at a time when terminal nerve-networks were denied in Germany, and 

 it was supposed that only in a few exceptional cases did the axis 

 cylinder of a nerve extend beyond the white substance. Not only 

 are my networks of pale nucleated nerve fibres now accepted, but it 

 is maintained that much finer networks of nerve fibres ramifying 

 upon and amongst epithelial cells and other elementary parts, and 

 even upon an individual mass of bioplasm (nucleus) have been 

 demonstrated. At present, however, I cannot regard the observa- 

 tions upon which it is thought to establish this view more conclu- 

 sive than those which a few years since led many to the conclusion 

 that the axis cylinder sprang from the nucleus or nucleolus of the 

 central nerve cell." 



The first descriptions of a terminal network of non-medullated 

 pale nerve fibres are due to Eemak. Kemak* described networks 

 of non-medullated nerve fibres, which surround the striped muscular 

 fibres, and which Eemak regarded as terminal networks. 



As regards the striped muscles, these assertions of Eemak have 

 been confirmed by Schaafhausen,t by the aid of carmine and staining, 

 Next comes the assertion about terminal networks of non-medullated 

 nerve fibres of common sensation in the skin and the mucous mem- 

 branes. Kolhker, in 1856, described a network of pale nucleated 

 non-medullated nerve fibres in the skin of many mammals.^ 

 Kolliker did not regard this network as a terminal one. 



About the same time, Axmann describes network of non-medul- 

 lated nerve fibres in the skin of the fi.-og. Further, I have to state 

 that His described in the substance of the cornea of mammals a 

 terminal network of pale non-medullated nerve fibres. § 



Then I have to notice the assertions of ]\[eissner of a terminal 

 plexus of non-medullated nerve fibres in the submucosa of the 

 intestine. || 



A short time after that Billroth described in difierent places of 

 the mucous membrane of the digestive tract terminal networks of 

 pale non-medullated nucleated nerve fibres.lF Next comes the con- 

 firmation of His's terminal network of non-medullated fibres in the 



* ' Archiv fiir Anatomie tier Physiologie,' 1843, p. 189. 

 t ' Amtl. Berichte der Naturforscher.' Vers, zu Bonn, 1859, p. 193. 

 i ' Zeitschrift flir wissenschatll. Zoologie,' Bd. VIII. 



§ ' Beitr'age zur normalen und pathologiachen Histologie der Cornea.' 

 Basel, 1856. 



II ' Zeitschrift flir rationelle Medizin,' VIII., p. 364. 1857. 

 t Miiller's ' Archiv,' 1858, p. 148. 



