72 ON THE STINGING ORGANS OF MEDUSAE. 



V 



which are partially covered with fine short little hairs, or whip-shaped 

 appendages. If we compare the reserve teeth of crocodiles, sharks, 

 and poisonous serpents, we cannot help considering these little capsules 

 as reserve cells, when the larger ones are lost. 



Such individual little organs also exist beyond the spots, and extend 

 to the inner rim of the arms, and to the under surface of the disc, where 

 they cease. At the rim of the disc there hang between every two 

 lobed (RandlappenJ , alternating with the crystalline bodies of the edge 

 (Randkopern or CrystalldrusenJ , fine long cylindrical threads of a violet 

 colour. These are covered with shining hairs, and present a cylindri- 

 cal epithelium, which rests on the muscular fibres ; these threads are 

 covered with numerous parcels of small stinging capsules. 



It is known that the slightest touch of a Medusa causes a percepti- 

 ble burning sensation, and I, together with several pupils who accom- 

 panied me in my travels, experienced it in bathing. This ensues more 

 feebly or more strongly, according to the vigour of the animal. Medusa 

 only sting at parts of their bodies where the epidermis is preserved. 

 We never experienced the sensation when we came in contact with 

 portions in which the epidermis had been removed ; a circumstance 

 which happens frequently in living animals. If we place a separated 

 portion of a Medusa, with its epidermis side on the bare skin, or if we 

 rub off a little epidermis and apply it to the skin, a burning sensation 

 is felt after a period of from a few seconds to a minute ; after five 

 minutes a slight redness appeared in my case, and then a simple lentil- 

 shaped elevation, more frequently three or four, near one another. 

 Medusa swimming in the sea act much more strongly, and even the 

 eruptive appearances called Quaddeln are produced, as in the case of 

 Essera or Urticaria. The pain soon ceases. It lasted half a day with 

 one of the party, Dr. Will, and after eight days, a redness was still 

 perceptible. 



The internal substance of the body (the so-termed jelly of the 

 Medusa) never stings, nor does the inner surface of the cavity of the 

 stomach, nor the inner surface of the arms, where the pigment spots, 

 the capsules, and the hairs are wanting. At the parts of the skin on 

 which I allowed myself to be stung, I always found separated capsules 

 and hairs. It is well known that all Medusa do not sting ; and, for 

 example, I found no power of this kind in the Cassiopea ; a microsco- 

 pic investigation proved the absence of those capsules and hairs over 

 the whole surface of the disc. On the other hand, an Oceania (allied 

 to the Cacuminatd) stings, but only with the edge threads, and in a 

 much smaller degree than the Pelagia. An examination showed the 



