ON NER VE A CTION IN GENERAL. 1 2 5 



dant in the terminal portions of the peripheral nerve organs 

 that I have studied than in any other situations. I should, 

 therefore, doubt if terminal fibres which were destitute of 

 germinal matter were nerve fibres at all. 



From a consideration of the facts we are led to conclude 

 that the nerve fibre in all cases transmits the nerve current 

 as a conductor, and that pressure, &c., upon any part of its 

 course will affect the rate of transmission of the current and 

 the conducting property of the fibre, but that the current 

 originates in germinal matter. 



That the masses of germinal matter, which I have 

 shown to be numerous in the fine nerve fibres of nerve 

 organs, besides taking part in the formation of the fibres, 

 are concerned in nervous action, appears therefore to me 

 probable from the following facts : 



1. They are very numerous in the peripheral ramifica- 

 tions of all nerves. 



2. All special peripheral nerve organs, as the retina, the 

 expansions of the olfactory and auditory nerves, the papillae 

 of touch and taste, as well as the peripheral nervous expan- 

 sions beneath sensitive mucous membranes, the skin, &c., 

 are remarkable for the great number, as well as for the 

 large size, of the masses of germinal matter. 



3. The proportion of germinal matter is always very 

 great in nerve centres, which there is abundant reason for 

 regarding as the principal seats of development of the 

 nerve force. 



4. That where, as in the sensitive "papilla upon the toe 

 of the frog, the nerve organ is more acutely sensitive (or 

 more active in any other way) at one part of the year than 



