523 



The method of preparing the specimens is then briefly described. 

 Observations were conducted principally on white mice, which were 

 injected with the author's prussian blue fluid immediately after 

 death *. The paper concludes with the following summary of the 

 most important facts elucidated in the inquiry : 



1. That nerve-fibres in muscle and in many other tissues, if not 

 in all, may be traced into, and are directly continuous with, a net- 

 work formed of oval nuclei and intermediate fibres. 



2. That the organs by which nerves are brought into relation 

 with other textures, and the agents concerned in the development 

 of nerves and the formation of new fibres, are the little oval bodies 

 or nuclei which are present in considerable number in the terminal 

 ramifications of all nerves. A great number of these bodies is asso- 

 ciated with exalted nervous action, while, when they are sparingly 

 found, we may infer that the nervous phenomena are only imperfectly 

 manifested. 



3. That every elementary fibre of striped muscle is abundantly 

 supplied with nerves, and that the fibres of some muscles receive a 

 much larger supply than others. 



4. That the nerves lie, with the capillaries, external to, but in close 

 contact with, the sarcolemma. They often cross the muscular fibre 

 at right angles, so that one nerve-fibre may influence a great number 

 of elementary muscular fibres. There is no evidence of their pene- 

 trating into the interior of the fibre. 



The paper is illustrated with drawings, most of them magnified 

 700 diameters. 



VII. " On the Effects produced by Freezing on the Physiolo- 

 gical Properties of Muscles/' By MICHAEL FOSTER, B.A., 

 M.D. Lond. Communicated by Dr. SHARPEY, Sec. R.S. 

 Received June 4, 1860. 



The influence of cold upon animal life has been studied chiefly (as 

 for example in reference to the phenomena of hybernation) at such 

 degrees of temperature only as are insufficient to freeze the tissues. 

 In cases of actual freezing, attention seems for the most part to have 



* The Microscope in its Application to practical Medicine, p. 63. 



