

,1862.] 83 



They enter here and there into the fasciculi of muscular fibre-cells, 

 ramify in these bundles, and end in very fine pointed extremities. The 

 muscular fasciculi are on the whole rather richly supplied with these 

 terminal fibres, so that two or three may be readily found in each 

 bundle by any one accustomed to such investigations. Still it is plain 

 that the nerve-terminations are by no means equal in number to the 

 muscular fibre-cells, so that several of the latter must be governed 

 by one and the same terminal nerve-fibre. 



The same mode of nerve-termination as in the heart prevails 

 in the non-striated muscular tissue of the pharynx and bladder of 

 the frog, excepting that the terminal fibres are more scanty ; but as 

 these run over a larger extent of the muscular tissue before coming 

 to an end, their comparative rarity may be compensated by their 

 acting at the same time upon a larger number of the muscular fibres* 



With these remarks I conclude the account of my anatomical in- 

 vestigation of the terminations of nerves in muscles. It will be obvious 

 to every one conversant with the physiology of the muscular system, 

 that many of the facts on which I have dwelt are of more or less 

 importance in reference to physiological questions j and I would have/ 

 gladly availed myself of the opportunity now so courteously afforded 

 me of addressing this learned Society, to take up also the physiological 

 side of the question, did I not fear to have already made too large a 

 demand on your patience. I refrain therefore from entering on so 

 large a subject, and shall take leave only to offer the following as what 

 appear to me to be the more interesting physiological inferences from 

 the anatomical facts I have described. 



1 . As the motor nerves lie outside the sarcolemma, and are con- 

 fined in their distribution to a comparatively short portion of the 

 muscular fibre, it may be inferred that there must be action at a 

 distance. 



2. As the ends of the motor nerves are pale fibres destitute of 

 medullary sheath, it would appear that the latter is of but secondary 

 importance. The same fact may perhaps also afford an explanation 

 of the special action of certain poisonous agents, as the urari, on the 

 ends of these nerves. 



3. The muscles have numerous sentient nerve-fibres distributed at 

 their surface, or on the surface of their larger divisions. 



G2 



