400 DR. VINCENT HARRIS. 



Tad of h'ltten's paiv. — It is well known that Pacinian cor- 

 puscles are numerous in the pads of the cat's feet. I would, 

 however, add several observations which I have made on the 

 subject lately. The central pad of the kitten's fore-paw consists 

 of three elevations, of which the central one is the largest, and is 

 separated from the lateral elevations by a slight depression on 

 either side. On section, it is found that there is a distinct fine 

 fibrous septum continued downwards from each depression, and 

 it is low down beneath the subcutaneous fat, on the outside of 

 the fibrous septa, that the greater number of Pacinian corpuscles 

 are found, according to my experience. It is a striking fact that 

 the corpuscles often occur in considerable masses, connected 

 together with fine fibrous tissue. In one specimen cut horizon- 

 tally I counted no less than sixteen on the outside of one 

 septum and ten on the outside of the other, and I have made a 

 sketch of one section (Fig. 3), which shows no less than sixteen 

 corpuscles. They are much less numerous in the pads in front 

 of and surrounding the central one, and also more numerous in 

 the fore than in the hind paws. It is generally agreed that these 

 corpuscles have nothing to do with the sensation of touch. This, 

 their irregular distribution and aggregation in masses, low down 

 beneath the subcutaneous fat, would certainly prove; but the 

 question as to what their function or functions, if they have 

 more than one, may be is still unanswered. 



The only tissue which appears to be almost invariably con- 

 nected with these bodies, wherever they are found, is the 

 vascular, and it therefore seems possible that they may have 

 something to do with the regulation of the blood supply. 



