FIBRILLAR STRUCTURE OF THE CQRNEA. 393 



Another view of the structure of the cornea was attempted to be 

 established shortly before Henle's later statements, when, in conse- 

 quence of the doctrines of Virchow on the structure of connective 

 tissue, Reichert's hypothesis on the absence of structure in fibrous 

 connective tissue appeared to obtain an important support from the 

 history of development. This theory of Reichert consisted in the 

 differentiation of the connective-tissue corpuscles from the matrix 

 (fibrillar substance) which he considered to be pure intercellular sub- 

 stance. According to this view, the matrix of the corneal tissue is 

 simply a structureless mass, split up into bands and striae by the 

 cells deposited in it.* But Hisf had already again approximated the 

 older doctrines by admitting the existence of corneal lamella?, which 

 were capable of being separated from each other. In opposition to the 

 two last-mentioned authors, K6lliker| strongly supports the fibrous 

 nature of the cornea. Classen and Rollett|| also adopt the view of the 

 fibrous structure of the substantia propria cornea?, and more recently 

 Engelmann^]" and Schweigger-Seidel** have done the same. In 

 the meanwhile Langhans,|f under Henle's direction, and Henle| + 

 himself, established the fact that the lamella? formerly regarded as 

 homogeneous in structure, were composed of extremely fine fibres. 

 In Henle's account, however, we find besides the fact on which he 

 very properly lays stress, of the existence of a laminated structure in 

 the fibrillar substance of the co.rnea, that he brings too prominently 

 forward the artificial and insufficiently proved distinction between 

 primary and secondary corneal lamella?. 



The corneal tissue is now generally regarded as a fibrous 

 structure. 



In fact, if a small piece cut from the centre of a fresh cornea 

 be teazed out under water, striated bands or trabeculse, and 



* Strube, loc. cit. 

 t Beitmge, etc., p. 12, et seq, 



I Mikroskopische Anatomic, Band ii., HaJfte ii., pp. 608610, 613 

 615. 



Ueber die Histologie der Hornhaut, p. 25. Rostock, 1858. 



|| Sitzungsberichte der Wiener Akademie, Band xxiii., p. 516, 1859. 



IF Loc. cit., pp. 1, 5, and 6. 



** Loc. cit., p. 307, et seq. 



ft Loc. cit., p. 9. 



J Eingeweidelehre, p. 595. 



Loc. cit., pp. 592 and 593. 



