THE SENSE OF TOUCH. 



633 



2. Tactile Cells. These are oval nucleated bodies found in the deeper 



layers of the epidermis. They rest upon or are embraced by a crescentic 

 shaped body, the tactile meniscus, which in turn is directly connected 

 with the nerve-fibril and probably a modification of it (Fig. 295). 



3. The Corpuscles of Meissner and Wagner. In the papillae of the derma, 



especially in the palm of the hand and in the finger-tips, are found 

 elliptical bodies consisting of a connective-tissue capsule containing a 

 number of tactile discs with which the nerve-fibrils are connected. If 

 the afferent nerve is traced to the capsule, it is found to lose both its 

 neurilemma and its medulla, after which the 

 naked fibril penetrates the capsule, breaks up 

 into a number of branches, and after pursu- 

 ing a more or less spiral course becomes con- 

 nected with the tactile discs (Fig. 296). 



4. Hair Wreaths. Just below the openings of the 



sebaceous glands the hair-follicles are sur- e 

 rounded by naked axis-cylinder fibrils in the 

 form of a wreath, which in all probability 

 terminate in the cells of the external root- 



FIG. 295. TACTILE CELLS FROM SNOUT FIG. 296. TOUCH-COR- 



OF PIG. a. Tactile cell. m. Tactile disc. PUSCLE OF MEISSNER AND 



n. Nerve-fiber. (Stirling.) WAGNER, b. Papilla of 



cutis. d. Nerve-fiber of 

 touch-corpuscle, e, /. 

 Nerve-fiber in touch-cor- 

 puscles, g. Cells of Mal- 

 pighian layer. (From 

 Stirling.') 



sheath. These, too, are to be regarded as part of the touch apparatus. 



5. Corpuscles of Vater or Pacini. These are oval-shaped structures found 

 along the nerves distributed to the palms of the hands and the soles 

 of the feet, on the nerves distributed to the external genital organs, to 

 joints and other structures. They consist of a thick capsule of lamel- 

 lated connective tissue in the interior of which is a bulb resembling 

 granular protoplasm. The axis-cylinder of the nerve-fiber enters the 

 capsule and becomes connected with the bulb (Fig. 297). 

 Other forms of peripheral organs are found in special regions of the skin 



as well as in different animals. 



