KINESTHESIA 



331 



are the means by which the nerve ends freely among the muscular and 

 tendinous fibers. These are the so-called muscle-spindles of Kiihne and 

 Sherrington. To each of these end-organs go two, three, or four large 



FIG. 184 



FIG. 185 



Two Pacinian-Vater-Herbst corpuscles. The nerve-fibers (neuraxones) are seen to divide in- 

 side the connective-tissue organ in various ways, each division ending in a knoblet. (Dogiel.) 

 There are many forms of this general afferent nerve-instrument variously known by the three 

 names given above. These are concerned, perhaps passively, in muscular control. 



medullated nerve-fibers, which, after dividing, end in fibrils wound about 

 the fibers of the muscle or else in irregular disks. They are found in nearly 

 all cross-striated muscle save the 

 intrinsic eye-muscles and those of 

 the tongue and larynx. They are 

 especially abundant in the delicate 

 muscles of the hand and the foot. 

 Kerschner supposes that these are 

 stimulated by the electrical action- 

 current of the muscle rather than by 

 compression. It is suggestive that 

 these are found only in cross-stri- 

 ated voluntary muscle. Perhaps they 

 represent, therefore, the active con- 

 traction of the muscle rather than 

 its passive movement (Fig. 186). 



AFFERENT ENDINGS IN TEN- 

 DONS. The neuro- tendinous nerve 

 end-organs ("the Golgi organs" of 

 Sherrington) are constructed on a 



similar general plan. These are found only in tendons and they too are 

 especially numerous in connection with the small muscles of the hand and 

 foot (Fig. 187). 



A sense-cell in the upper vocal cord of a dog, 

 showing the nerve- net about it. (Ploschko.) 



