396 INNEBVATION. [CHAP. XIII. 



tic, though never on the nerves of motion. In the mesentery of 

 most cats they are very readily seen by the naked eye (usually in 

 considerable numbers), as pellucid, oval grains, rather smaller than 

 hemp-seeds, and they are here very favourably situated for exami- 

 nation. Fig. 74, A, B, will give a correct idea of their relation to 

 the nerves in the palm and sole. They are especially numerous 

 on the smaller twigs, to which they are generally placed parallel, 

 though frequently at an acute, and sometimes at an obtuse angle. 

 They are more or less oval, often elongated and bent; suffi- 

 ciently tough to resist moderate pressure, and nearly transparent, 

 with a whitish line transversing their axis. They lie imbedded in 

 the areolar tissue, and adhere to it by their outer surface. They 

 always present a proximal end, attached to the nerve by a stalk of 

 fibrous tissue, prolonged from the neurilemma and occasionally ^ of 

 an inch long ; and a distal end, lying free in the areolar tissue. The 

 corpuscles in the human subject have an average length of from 



To * iV f an i ncn - 



A minute examination of these singular bodies discloses an inter- 

 nal structure of a highly interesting kind. They consist, first, of a 

 series of membranous capsules, from thirty to sixty or more in num- 

 ber, enclosed one within the other ; and, secondly, of a single nerv- 

 ous fibre, of the tubular kind, enclosed in the stalk, and advancing 

 to the central capsule, which it traverses from end to end. 



By reference to the accompanying figure (75), which exhibits the 

 general structure, the ten or fifteen innermost capsules may be 

 observed to be in contact with one another, while the rest are 

 separated by a clear space containing fluid. This is almost con- 

 stantly observed, unless the specimen has been allowed to imbibe 

 water sufficient to detach the inner capsules from each other ; and 

 hence these have been distinguished from the rest as the system of 

 internal capsules. The intercapsular spaces between the others vary 

 in width, especially under pressure, and sometimes we have seen 

 some of the outer capsules in close contact. The capsules are here 

 and there united by connecting bands of similar structure, passing, 

 transversely or obliquely across the spaces ; the spaces do not com- 



Dott. Filippo Pacini. Pistoja, 1840), which has been rendered much more accu- 

 rate and complete in its details by Henle and Kolliker. Coming to the investi- 

 gation of these corpuscles with the knowledge of what these eminent anatomists 

 had accomplished, we have confirmed their results by numerous observations, 

 from which the account about to be given has been principally taken. A. G. 

 Andral, Camus, and Lacroix had announced their existence at a concours in 

 Paris, in 1833, but do not appear to have apprehended their real nature. 



