D. THE STOMACH, BY E. KLEIN. 547 



and very finely granular. Henle also observed that the cells 

 give off at the plane of the membrana propria from three 

 to ten processes, which run in all directions, and which, whether 

 broad or narrow at their origin, gradually become attenuated 

 and branched, the branches communicating with each other. 

 He therefore considered it probable that these cells are of a 

 nervous nature, although he has in vain endeavoured to trace 

 their connection with nerve fibres. 



The tissue of the mucous layer is either a fibrous meshwork 

 or adenoid tissue. The fasciculi of fine connective tissue oc- 

 curring in and traversing the mucous layer in company with 

 the vessels from the submucous tissue which penetrate the 

 fasciculi of the muscularis mucosae, unite frequently in a plexi- 

 form manner between the gland tubes, and include between 

 their fibres a variable number of lymph corpuscles. 



An adenoid network of cells, in the meshes of which lymph 

 corpuscles are contained, is also found here and there between 

 the extremities of adjoining gland tubes as well as just below 

 the surface of the mucous membrane. 



In newly born infants the muscularis mucosse, or muscular 

 layer of the mucous membrane, is from O'Ol O'Oo of a millimeter 

 thick, and in adults from 0*05 O'l of a millimeter, and by its 

 continuity separates the mucous from the submucous layer, 

 forming consequently a level layer just external to the ex- 

 tremities of the gland tubes. The fasciculi of this muscular 

 layer of the mucous membrane commencing from the cardia 

 run chiefly in a longitudinal direction, but the internal fas- 

 ciculi are partly circular and partly oblique, and the exter- 

 nal longitudinal or oblique. Where the fasciculi of the one 

 or the other layer run obliquely, they decussate ; and if they 

 were in the first instance internal and longitudinal, penetrate, 

 after decussating, into the internal circular layer. They present 

 an inverse relation, if before the decussation they constituted a 

 portion of the internal circular layer ; for in that case, after the 

 decussation, they enter into the external longitudinal layers. 

 Both from the internal and external longitudinal layers of the 

 muscularis mucosse small fasciculi are given off, which extend 

 between the extremities of two tubes into the mucous membrane. 

 Here they either run parallel, or, if they do not pass off at right 



