LYMPH FOLLICLES OF THE COXJUNCTIVA. 449 



found between the longitudinal folds that give its plicated 

 aspect to this segment of the conjunctiva. 



True papillae, however, do occur. In the new-born child 

 vascular papillae are only met with near the fornix conjunctivas. 

 But it is otherwise in adults ; in them small and isolated pa- 

 pillae are met with near the border of the lid, which increase 

 towards the fornix, both in height and in breadth. Where 

 there are no papillae on the conjunctiva, dense plexuses of extra- 

 ordinarily wide bloodvessels are distributed immediately beneath 

 the epithelium ; but where the papillae occur, a loop ascends 

 from the superficial plexus into each papilla. 



The epithelium of the conjunctiva is laminated ; it is thickest 

 over the posterior half of the free border of the lid ; from the 

 posterior border of the margin of the lid it rapidly diminishes 

 in thickness, and on the posterior surface of the lid is composed 

 of a superficial layer of greatly flattened cells, [each containing 

 an oblong compressed nucleus, succeeded by two or three layer? 

 of polyhedric cells, and finally by a deep layer of columnar 

 cells. 



The thin and delicate conjunctival mucous membrane of the 

 lids is composed of a loose connective-tissue matrix, in which 

 elastic fibres are only sparingly present. 



On the other hand, the mucous membrane is extraordinarily 

 rich in branched cells, which, especially just beneath the epi- 

 thelium, form a beautiful plexus. 



I extract from the recently published treatise of Schmid, " On 

 the Lymph Follicles of the Connective Tissue of the Eye," the 

 following statements on the structures described in that work.* 

 Bruch first mentioned in an appendix to his account of Peyer's 

 patches in the small intestine, the existence of similar struc- 

 tures in the conjunctiva of the lower lid of oxen. He de- 

 scribed them as closed sacs, visible to the naked eye, in the pulp 

 of which a vascular plexus of capillaries is distributed. These 

 sacs are termed Bruch's clusters (Haufen). Stromeyer stated that 

 follicles were present both in domestic and wild animals, and 

 that they are chiefly situated near the inner canthus of the eye, 



* Brunmiiller. Wien, 1870. The literature of the subject is fully given 

 in this work. 



VOL. III. G G 



