NERVES OF THE LIVER. 33 



from' the periphery of a capillary plexus, which coalesce towards 

 the centre, and subdivide and anastomose in their course, so 

 that in some instances a delicate plexus of extremely fine 

 trabeculse is formed, that presents in every respect the cha- 

 racters of reticular connective tissue. This form of connective 

 tissue contains no nuclei; and inasmuch as the hepatic cells 

 exhibit no trace of a membrana propria, this sparingly present 

 reticular connective tissue constitutes, apart from the hepatic 

 cells and the blood capillaries, the only formed or morphological 

 element whose presence has been clearly demonstrated in the 

 liver. 



THE NERVES OF THE LIVER. The tolerably numerous 

 nerves entering the great fissure of the liver, and ramifying 

 with the vessels contained in Glisson's sheath, are composed 

 principally of non-medullated with a few medullated fibres, 

 the latter always becoming less numerous as the fasciculi 

 become smaller. The smallest fasciculi contain only non- 

 medullated fibres. All demonstrable nerves lie on the outer 

 side of the lobules. I have not succeeded in discovering any 

 in their interior ; and since we may easily satisfy ourselves, from 

 an examination of very fine sections of hardened livers, that 

 no fibres or other structures besides the hepatic cells, the 

 capillaries, and the above-described sparing connective tissue 

 are visible, we may conclude that if nerve fibres penetrate into 

 the interior of the lobules they must -be of extreme tenuity. 



In a brief provisional communication, Pfliiger has arrived at quite 

 different results from the examination of the liver treated with 

 perosmic acid. I also have made frequent use of this reagent, but 

 hitherto have been unsuccessful in seeing the appearances he describes. 

 The more extended account of his observations, about to be published, 

 will, it is to be hoped, explain the cause of this discrepancy. 



VOL. II. 



