1865.] Dr. Beale Croonian Lecture. 229 



May 11, 1865. 



Dr. WILLIAM ALLEN MILLER, Treasurer and Vice-President, 

 in the Chair. 



"On the ultimate Nerve-fibres distributed to Muscle and some 

 other Tissues, with observations upon the Structure and pro- 

 bable Mode of Action of a Nervous Mechanism"*. Being 

 the CROONIAN LECTURE for 1865, delivered by LIONEL S. 

 BEALE, M.B., F.R.S., "Fellow of the Royal College of Phy- 

 sicians, Professor of Physiology and of General and Morbid 

 Anatomy in King's College, London ; Physician to King's Col- 

 lege Hospital. 



INTRODUCTION. Of the movements occurring in the tissues of living beings, and of con- 

 tractility. TlIE DISTRIBUTION OF NERVES TO INVOLUNTARY MUSCLE. Distribution 



of nerves to the muscular fibres of the frog's bladder. Distribution of nerves to 

 the muscular fibres in the walls of arteries, veins, the intestine, ducts of glands, &c. 

 THE DISTRIBUTION OP NERVES TO STRIPED MUSCLE. Of the arrangement of the 

 dark-bordered nerve-fibres distributed to voluntary muscle and other tissues; Of the 

 division of dark-bordered nerve-fibres as they approach their distribution. Of the 

 fine fibres running with the dark-bordered fibres. Of the distribution of the pale 

 nucleated nerve-fibres to the elementary muscular fibres. The distribution of nerves 

 to the muscles of articulata. Of the structure of the bodies termed nerve-tufts or 

 -eminences (Nervenhugel) seen in connexion with certain muscular nerves. Of 

 the arrangement of the nerve-fibres in other forms of striped muscle, as the branching 

 muscular fibres of the tongue, the muscular fibres of the heart, and lymphatic hearts 



of the frog. Of the finest nerve-fibres which influence the muscle. THE ESSENTIAL 



STRUCTURE OP A NERVOUS MECHANISM CONSIDERED. Of the supposed terminations 

 of the dark-bordered nerve-fibres, and of the probable existence of nerve-circuits. 

 Of terminal plexuses and networks of fine nerve-fibres in the cornea, pericardium, 

 fibrous tissue of the abdomen, and other parts. Fine nerve-fibres distributed to 

 capillaries in the form of networks and plexuses. Arguments in favour of un- 

 interrupted circuits, deduced from an examination of the trunks of nerves. Of the 

 termination of nerves in papillae, and in special cutaneous nervous organs, such 

 as the papillae concerned in touch and taste, and in the Pacinian corpuscles. Evi- 

 dence, in favour of continuous nervous circuits, derived from the study of the deve- 

 lopment of nerve-fibres distributed to muscle. Of the relation of the ultimate 

 branches of the nerve-fibres to the tissue and to the germinal matter. Arguments in 

 favour of uninterrupted circuits founded upon the structure and arrangement of 

 ganglion-cells. General conclusions deduced from the above facts in favour of the 

 existence in all cases of complete nervous circuits, and of the absence of any interrup- 

 tion in the continuity of nerve-fibres. 



It seems to have been the desire of the founder of the lectureship which 

 I have the honour to hold this year, that a lecture or discourse on the 

 nature or property of local motion, accompanied by an experiment, should 



* This Lecture will be published shortly in a separate form, with all the drawings. 

 The references made in the text to illustrations apply to the drawings and diagrams 

 exhibited during the delivery of the Lecture. 



