114 YELLOW ELASTIC TISSUE. 



stellate masses of bioplasm existing in certain spe- 

 cimens of tendon bear to that texture. The number 

 of these freely connected masses of bioplasm dis- 

 seminated through the corneal tissue renders this 

 texture permeable to fluids, and probably allows great 

 alterations to take place in its internal structure, very 

 quickly leading to considerable modifications in its 

 thickness, and perhaps in its refractive power during 

 life. In properly prepared specimens, the masses of 

 bioplasm which are connected with the nerve fibres 

 may be shown to be distinct from those of the corneal 

 tissue, and the finest ramifications of the nerves which 

 may be traced in the substance of the corneal tissue 

 to have no connexion with the radiating processes of 

 the corneal corpuscles, or with the bioplasm of these 

 bodies. Kiihne some time since published a memoir, 

 in which he endeavoured to prove that some of the 

 processes of the corneal corpuscles were continuous 

 with delicate ramifications of the nerve fibres ;* but 

 although I have seen many specimens which on first 

 sight appeared to justify such an inference, I have 

 been convinced, on fui'ther and more careful examina- 

 tion, that this was not the case, and I have been able 

 to focus the delicate nerve fibre distinct from the 

 prolongations of the corneal corpuscles, and to prove 

 that these bodies were situated upon different planes. 

 16G. Yellow elastic tissue. — The bioplasm of yellow- 

 elastic tissue is so veiy indistinct in specimens ex- 

 amined in the ordinary way, that many authorities 

 have concluded ihtit this tissue is altogether destitute 

 of living matter, and that its formation is not due to 

 nuclei or cells of any kind. It is, however, obvious, 

 that in ordinary specimens the small masses of per- 

 fectly clear, transparent, structureless bioplasm would 

 be completely hidden by the highly refractive, firm, 

 well-defined fibres of the elastic tissue. But no 



* " Untersuchungen iiber das Protoplasma und die Contrac- 

 tilitat," Leipzig, 1864. 



