CHAP, iv.] x 



HEARING. 



1353 



outwards by shorter cubical or low columnar cells, called 

 " Claudius cells" (Gl.c.\ which at the spiral ligament pass into 

 the epithelium of the stria vascularis. In both the cells of 

 Hensen and those of Claudius, the cell substance is granular 

 and is very often loaded with pigment or with material staining 

 deeply with osmic acid or other reagents. 



As we shall see, the row of inner and the rows of outer hair-cells 

 are the only cells with which the fibres of the auditory nerve 

 make any connections, and these with the rods of Corti are alone 

 to be regarded as the functional terminal organs of the nerve ; it 

 is by means of these structures that the waves of sound are enabled 



FIG. 180. DIAGRAM OF THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE ORGAN OF CORTI. (After Eetzius.) 



A. Inner hair-cells. A', the head seen from above. 



B. Inner, B'. outer rod of Corti, ph. (in each) phalangar process. 



C. The twin outer hair-cell. C.c.cell of Corti, //.. its auditory hairs, n. its nucleus, 

 x, Hensen's body. D.c. cell of Deiters, n'. its nucleus, ph.p. its phalangar 

 process, fil. the cuticular filament, m.b. basilar membrane, m.r. reticulate 

 membrane. 



C'. The head of the cell of Corti as seen from above. 



D. The organ of Corti seen from above, i.h.c. the heads of the inner hair-cells. 

 ir.h. the head and phalangar process of the inner rod. o.r.h. the head of the 

 outer rod, with pli.p. its phalangar process, covered to the left hand by the 

 inner rods, but uncovered to the right, o.h.c. the heads of the cells of Corti 

 supported by the rings of the reticulate membrane, ph. one of the phalangas 

 of the reticulate membrane. 



