THE EXTERNAL EAR. 49 



ings containing a distinct nucleus. From such an enlarge- 

 ment two or more fibres may be given off, in the latter case 

 giving it the appearance of a small ganglion cell. I have seen 

 such fibres enter into close relation with the cells of the rete 

 Malpighii, and also with the vessels lying close beneath the 

 rete. In successful preparations we may see these nerves 

 lying as above described, with their nucleated enlargements 

 closely applied to the capillaries, and again becoming detached 

 and running at some distance from them (fig. 284). 



Elsewhere they may be traced into fine fibres which in 

 their further course sometimes exhibit pyriform enlargements. 

 These last, after treatment with chloride of gold, assume a 

 darker tint, whilst the neighbouring nuclei of the capillaries 

 usually remain clear. In gold preparations it appears as if the 

 pyriform enlargement were situated in the angle of a forked 

 division of the nerve, so that one arm terminates by a capitate 

 extremity in the dilatation, whilst the other forms a delicate 

 thread on the side turned towards the capillary wall, and 

 terminates on the vascular wall in a manner that is still un- 

 known (fig. 284, d). 



Hitherto, therefore, no satisfactory evidence has been 

 adduced to show that these dilatations constitute the ends 

 of the vascular nerves, since they themselves give off fibrils 

 which are lost on the vascular walls. The relations just given 

 can indeed only be perfectly demonstrated in a few instances ; 

 for the long course the nerve fibres pursue to the point where 

 they expand into a brush of extremely fine fibres, permits 

 satisfactory evidence of their continuity with the pyriform en- 

 largement to be furnished only in very fortunate preparations. 



It has been remarked above, that only a part of the nerve 

 fibres are distributed upon the bloodvessels, another part 

 becoming connected with the plexus lying in the rete Mal- 

 pighii. This last forms a plexus provided with bi- and 

 multipolar cells, situated immediately beneath the deepest 

 layer of the epidermis. From these plexuses extremely fine 

 but distinctly recognisable fibrils are given off, which often 

 run directly between the cells, so that a doubt may arise 

 whether we are looking at a cell border or a fibre of this kind, 

 but which may also be frequently traced without any confusion 



VOL. III. E 



