THE OSSEOUS SYSTEM. 305 



of the cranial bones, and of tlie vcrtehrce. Nevertheless, the sympa- 

 thetic participates in their formation, as Luschka, and before him, 

 Kobelt have observed with respect to the vertebral nerves. Microsco- 

 pical examination confirms this, inasmuch as the nerves of bone, in their 

 trunks and terminations, resemble in every respect the sensitive branches 

 of the spinal nerves, and contain, in the trunks, one-third of fibres, 

 measuring 0-005-0-OOG of a line; two-thirds measuring 0'002-0-004 

 of a line ; in the larger branches the majority of the fibres measure 

 0-002-0-003, but some as much as 0-006 of a line; and lastly, in the 

 finest ramifications, fibres of not more than 0'0012-0-00l6 of a line. 

 The periosteal nerves, also, which may frequently be seen to be con- 

 nected with the nerves of the bone, and may be traced to the nerves of 

 the extremity, are derived, probably in the greater proportion, from the 

 spinal nerves, although even in their case, perhaps, some participation 

 of the sympathetic cannot be denied. 



How the nerves of bone terminate, I have not observed, and can only 

 remark, that from the nerves in the marrow, extremely delicate branches, 

 composed of neurilemma and one or two fibrils, are ultimately developed; 

 but as to what becomes of these I am ignorant. It is also, perhaps, 

 Avorthy of notice, that in two situations, before their entrance into the 

 bone, I have observed Pacinian bodies on the nerves ; viz. on the dia- 

 physal nerve of the tihia, two lines before its entrance into the foramen, 

 I noticed a single body, and two others on the largest nerve of the me- 

 tatarsal bone of the great toe, also just before it entered the bone. 



I have never yet detected nerves in the ligaments, in Man (the liga- 

 mentum nucJue of the Ox contains some fine nervous twigs, accompany- 

 ing minute arteries ; the twigs measuring 0-004 of a line, with fine fibres 

 of O-012-O-OOlo of a line), but have no doubt that they, like the tendons, 

 inasmuch as that they contain vessels, are also furnished with a few 

 scattered nerves. On the other hand, the interosseous membrane of the 

 leg contains filaments derived from the interosseal nerve, which, formed 

 of from one to three fibrils, measuring 0-003-0-004 of a line, present 

 distinct ramifications and free terminations of the primitive fibrils. A 

 nerve of 0*03 of a line, which together with an artery entered the fibrous 

 external part of the symphysis pubis, may here be mentioned. With 

 regard to the cartilages, I have as yet noticed only in the cartilage- 

 canals in the septum narium of the Calf, together with vessels (arteries), 

 very distinct, fine nervous twigs, measuring O'006-O'Ol of a line, with 

 fibres of 0-0012-0-0016 of a line thick. In the articular capsules nume- 

 rous nerves exist, although they belong principally to the so-called fibrous 

 capsules, and to the loose connective tissue external to the synovial 

 membrane. In the knee I have seen nerves, even in the true synovial 

 membrane, although in general they are rare, and are most distinct in 

 the large vascular processes, which besides arteries, contain nerves of 



20 



