428 SPECIAL HISTOLOGY. 



which here goes no way at all. Among the exceptions are 

 E. Weber (Art. 'Muscular Motion/ in Wagner's ' Handw. d. 

 Phys.' Ill, 2, pp. 20 — 22), who made his examination in pre- 

 parations, hardened by carbonate of potass; and Stilling, who 

 pursued his by the microscopical examination of sections, simi- 

 larly hardened by means of alcohol. My own results, obtained 

 from preparations in chromic acid, which had been for the most 

 part made transparent by soda, agree in almost every point with 

 those of Stilling, which at all events, among all observations 

 on the subject, have gone most deeply into the matter. 



The nerves in question arise, without exception, not from 

 the columns or fibrous substance, out of which they proceed, 

 but all penetrate more or less deeply into the central parts, 

 and all probably become connected, some not till they have 

 decussated like the trochleares, with definite parts of the grey 

 substance, which Stilling not inappropriately terms nerve- 

 nuclei {accessory nucleus, for instance). It is the floor of the 

 fourth ventricle, and of the aqueduct of Sylvius, which are 

 more particularly concerned in this respect, since all the nerves 

 above named, at least in part, extend to them. The more 

 minute consideration of these relations may be seen in Stil- 

 ling's Work, and in f Mikroskop. Auatomie/ II, 1, pp. 

 458 — 162. 



[Although a favorable judgment cannot be given upon Stil- 

 ling and Wallach's work on the spinal cord, I am still very far 

 from disposed to look down upon Stilling's anatomical writings 

 in general, as would seem to have been the fashion for some 

 time past. I am much rather of opinion, in which E. Wagner 

 also coincides, that we have great reason to thank this 

 author for his works on the medulla oblongata and pons Varolii; 

 for although there are some things in them which cannot 

 be maintained, and sufficient attention is not paid to the 

 elementary constituents, still it caunot be denied that they 

 contain a mass of important facts. I have tested, if not all, 

 still the most important of Stilling's statements, and have 

 found them almost all fully confirmed, and am therefore glad 

 to take this opportunity of naming him, as the observer to whom 

 we are indebted for the first accurate investigation of the 

 course of the fibres in the central organs. I would also here, 



