254 Dr. Beale Croonian Lecture. [May 11, 



that the nerve-fibres pass over or under the prolongations from the corneal 

 corpuscles without being continuous with them. The fundamental arrange- 

 ment here seems to be the same as elsewhere. The nerve-fibres run amongst 

 the tissue, but they are continuous neither with the proper fibrous tissue 

 of the cornea, nor with its nuclei ; and if any influence is exerted by the 

 nerve upon the tissue or upon the nuclei, it is probably effected by the 

 current which is transmitted by the fibre, and is not due to any direct 

 continuity of texture. 



The figure to which I now point, represents a thin layer of the connective 

 tissue covering the posterior part of the mylohyoid muscle of the Hyla, 

 with the nerves and vessels. The bundles of fine dark-bordered fibres 

 can be very readily distinguished from the fine fibres given off from them 

 and forming a very extensive network in every part of the tissue. In this 

 specimen, fibres can be traced from the nerve-trunks to the capillaries, as 

 well as to the nerve-network of fine fibres imbedded in the connective tissue. 

 If the reader imagines muscular fibres placed in the meshes of this net- 

 work, he will, I believe, have a correct idea of the manner in which nerve 

 is distributed to muscle. (See figure on opposite page.) The same facts 

 are demonstrated in my specimens of connective tissue from the abdominal 

 cavity of the frog, the outer surface of the lungs, &c. 



The distribution of the finest nerve-fibres to the mucous membrane of 

 the epiglottis of the human subject is also upon the same plan, but the 

 finest nerves are more difficult to demonstrate. In this figure the capillary 

 vessels and the nerves, as they lie immediately beneath the epithelium, 

 are represented ; and in this one a small portion of the tissue cut exceed- 

 ingly thin, from one of the intervals between the capillaries, is represented 

 magnified by the -%. 



Fine nerve-fibres distributed to capillaries in the form of networks 

 and plexuses. 



It has been already shown that fine nerve-fibres are distributed to the 

 cornea, to the fibrous tissue in the abdomen of the frog, and to that of the 

 pericardium and of other parts, which is destitute, or nearly destitute, 

 of vessels, and which at the same time is a tissue which can scarcely be 

 regarded as being more immediately influenced by nerve-fibres than the 

 ordinary forms of cartilage, which are undoubtedly destitute of them. To 

 assert that these fibres are in some manner directly concerned with the 

 mftritive process is begging the question ; and as cartilage is undoubtedly 

 developed and nourished without the direct influence of nerve- fibres, it is 

 probable that the nutrition and development of such tissues as the above, 

 which are closely allied to cartilage, do not depend upon the nerve-fibres 

 which are distributed to them. These nerve-fibres probably perform a 

 totally different service. 



Pale nucleated nerve-fibres are also distributed to capillary vessels, as is 

 well shown in the figures to which I now direct attention. That the fibres 



