PHYSIOLOGY 



CHAP. 



spindles. Many ingenious deductions have been made from the 

 structure or topography of these three organs with a view to 

 determining their respective functions as organs of the muscular 

 sense. 



The conclusions of Cipollone and of Sherrington seem to be of 

 special importance. After Cipoll one's demonstration of motor 



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FIG. 42. 



\ 



a.c. 



FIG. 43. 



Fi<;s. 42 and 43. Twofmusculo-tendinous organs from cat, each containing two modified Pacinian 

 corpuscles. (Ruffini.) i.e., terminal nerve expansion belonging to musculo-tendinous organ ; 

 P.c., modified Pacinian corpuscle ;. a.c., annular constriction (A. Cattaneo), or small strip of 



i . connective tissue (Ciaccio). 



nerve-endings in the neuro-muscular spindles, there could be no 

 doubt that the special muscle-fibres which they contain contract 

 during the excitation transmitted by the motor nerves, and in 

 contracting mechanically excite the ring-shaped and spiral 

 sensory nerve -endings by which they are surrounded. The 

 more or less appreciable sensations which they arouse in the 

 central nervous system are proportional in intensity to the degree 



