

THE COEPUSCLES OF THE CORNEA. 381 



are thus presented if we look vertically from the surface through 

 the cornea, or examine under the microscope sections made 

 parallel to the surface. The borders of the flattened cells then 

 appear irregular in consequence of a variable number of pro- 

 cesses being given off from them in different directions. 



These processes branch, and at the same time become more 

 and more delicate ; they are not all in the same plane with the 

 flattened body of the cell, but pass both upwards and down- 

 wards. The processes given off from adjoining cells intercom- 

 municate, forming a cell-plexus that traverses the cornea. The 

 meshes of this plexus vary in form, but the trellis-work formed 

 by the processes is often very regularly rectangular. 



The substance of the cells, and that of their processes, pre- 

 sents either a smooth and homogeneous or a finely granular 

 aspect. 



The foregoing general description of the cell-plexus formed 

 by the'corneal corpuscles in the tissue of the cornea corre- 

 sponds to a definite condition of the cells, and recurs in precisely 

 the same form in the cornese of Man and of the most diverse 

 animals, as in the Frog, Newt, Dog, Cat, Ox, Kabbit, Guinea- 

 pig, Pig, Sheep, Hedgehog, Bat, Rat, Mouse, and Fox. 



As regards the form and arrangement of the cells and their 

 processes, this account of the corneal corpuscles agrees with 

 that generally adopted since His * described the beautifully 

 marked forms obtained from specimens prepared with wood 

 spirit. 



In regard to the cells and processes formed and disposed as 

 has been described above, we have given in sufficient detail 

 the views suggested by the new cell doctrines. Whilst imme- 

 diately after the publication of His's well-known work, the 

 cell-plexus was regarded by many histologists, as by His him- 

 self, as a hollow plasmatic plexus, the cells and their processes 

 being provided with membranes like those ascribed by Yirchow 

 to the plexuses of the connective substance ; we, on the other 

 hand, see in it a protoplasmatic plexus (Kuhne) which extends 

 throughout the entire substance of the cornea. 



This statement is not, however, entirely unopposed. The 



* Wurzbury. Verhandlunyen, Band iv. , p. 90, et seq. 



