EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT. 127 



nounced in certain ganglion cells, which show also a few cytoplas- 

 mic vacuoles, I infer that the change may be largely or entirely 

 post mortem. 



This special stain brings out the bacteria mentioned as present 

 in the vessels particularly well, and it is found that the lymph 

 channels throughout the cord are literally crammed with them, 

 principally the rod-shaped organism, which is found to contain 

 intensely staining polar bodies which resemble spores, while the 

 intervening portions of the rod are homogeneous. 



Fibers and Tracts. — (Marchii method). 



Cauda Equina. — Sections through the cauda equina show nu- 

 merous degenerated fibers; these are rarely found side by side, 

 but are scattered irregularly through the mass of nerve trunks. 



Sacral Cord. — Sections through this portion of the cord show 

 many degenerated fibers in the posterior portion of the column of 

 Goll, and an occasional degenerated fiber in the peripheral portion 

 of the direct pyramids and anterior ground bundles. Sections of 

 the nerve fibers which surround this portion of the cord show 

 irregular degenerated fibers scattered throughout. 



Lumbar Cord. — Degenerated fibers are present in the same dis- 

 tribution as that just mentioned, and many such fibers are found 

 in the sclerosed patch which is at this level. Degeneration 

 in the trunks surrounding this portion of the cord is more infre- 

 quent than below. 



Dorsal Cord. — The dorsal region shows degeneration* in the 

 same general distribution, but more frequent in the anterior and 

 lateral columns, though still most prominent in the column of 

 Goll. Degenerated fibers in the surrounding trunks are less fre- 

 quent than in the lumbar sections. 



Cervical Cord. — The cervical enlargement shows practically 

 identical conditions. 



Ventricle. — The ventricle is wide open throughout, probably 

 the normal condition in this animal. 



Posterior Root Ganglia. — Sections stained by the ordinary 

 methods show general shrinkage of the ganglion cells, and it is 

 plainly evident that most of them are surrounded by a distinct 

 cuticular membrane which is a part of the cell itself. The im- 

 plantation cone is plainly seen in many of these cells. There are 

 a few areas in which a slight exudate of small round cells is pres- 

 ent, mostly in the region of ganglion cells, but this change is not 

 marked, though the general condition of the tissues indicates an 

 ante-mortem oedema to quite a pronounced degree. (This change 

 was noted in the gross.) Sections stained by the Neisl method 

 show that nearly all the ganglion cells have degenerative altera- 



