212 THE OLFACTORY ORGAN, BY PROFESSOR BABUCHIN. 



means prove that the nerve fibrils end in the same mode as has 

 been observed in the transparent cornea, though this might, 

 indeed, be presupposed. After my discovery, that the large 

 epithelial cells present throughout their whole length delicate 

 longitudinal strise, which, however, are only visible under 

 favourable circumstances, may we not presume that the finest 

 fibrils of the olfactory nerves, after they have penetrated the 

 epithelial layer, everywhere closely embrace the large epithelial 

 cells, and thus reach the surface of the epithelium ? This pre- 

 sumption gains in strength, if we take into consideration that 

 the conical internal extremities of the large epithelial cells break 

 up into short delicate fibrils. I believe, however, that such a 

 statement would at the present time be a little premature ; for 

 the number of instances of striated cells recorded increases daily. 

 Thus, for example, it has long been known that the fibres of the 

 lens are frequently longitudinally striated. Pfluger has observed 

 striation in nearly all the cells composing the salivary cells. 1 

 have myself seen that a regularly disposed striation may be 

 produced by the action of certain reagents on the crystalline 

 lenses of some Crabs. Lastly, T have observed that even the 

 contents of the cup cells 'sometimes appear to consist of very 

 fine fibrils. This admonishes us to regard the stride with con- 

 siderable caution, and not to consider everything that is striated 

 to be a nervous structure. I must also call attention to the 

 fact that in the Triton, at the point where the epithelium of the 

 olfactory region passes into the ordinary epithelium, where both 

 the olfactory and epithelial cells become shorter and thicker, 

 the internal extremities of the epithelial cells are enormously 

 broad, and yet exhibit no indication of striae (fig 340). 



Max Schultze long ago advanced the hypothesis that the 

 fibrils of the olfactory nerves enter into connection with 

 the inner extremities of the olfactory cells. As essentially 

 supporting this hypothesis, he referred to the very complete 

 analogy which obtains, both in a chemical and in a morpho- 

 logical point of view, between the central extremities of the 

 cells in question and the nerve fibrils. As additional evidence 

 in favour of this hypothesis, I may add that under the influ- 

 ence of chloride of gold the olfactory nerves constantly assume 

 a blackish violet colour, and although very rarely, still in sue- 



