MULLENIX: EIGHTH CRANIAL NERVE. 219 
embryological side in an investigation of the development of the peri- 
pheral nervous system. By a study of embryos and young of the mouse 
they were led to the conclusion that the fibres of the eighth nerve grow 
out of the cells of the spiral ganglion toward the sensory epithelium. 
At the same time “the impulse is given for building a fibrillar network 
within the sense cells, from the contained granular substance.” ‘They 
were led to regard the peripheral nervous system as a fibrillar mechan- 
ism which is directly united with the cerebrospinal and sympathetic 
ganglion cells. ‘They were not able to satisfy themselves of the exist- 
ence of free fibrillae, either intracellular or extracellular. In accord 
with von Lenhossék’s view of the sense cells as short nerve cells without 
processes, they regarded the sense cells as wholly like ganglion cells, 
being organically united with the terminal fibres of the eighth nerve. 
They concluded that the results of their investigation must be regarded 
as furnishing further evidence against the neurone theory and in favor 
of the fibrillar theory. 
Kolmer (:07) contributed further to the subject in a‘paper based on 
conditions found in domestic mammals. ‘The method employed was 
the reduction process of Ramén y Cajal. He stated that fibrillae of a 
given axis cylinder are frequently in union with those of several sense 
cells, and that the fibrillae of a given sense cell can be shown to be in 
connection with fibrillae of different axis cylinders. Kolmer, unlike 
Ramon y Cajal, found both the giant fibres and fine fibres in the 
maculae, as well as in the cristae. He was not able to confirm Ramén y 
Cajal’s distinction as to topographic distribution, inasmuch as he 
found both kinds of fibres in all parts of the cristae. He states (pp. 
757-758) that the union between sense cell and axis cylinder appears 
to result from a growing together or interlacing of fibrillae which 
originate in the sense cell and fibrillae from the axis cylinder. A 
growth of fibrillae from the axis cylinder into the sense cell appears to 
him to be excluded, as does an outgrowing of fibrillae from sense cell 
to axis cylinder. He is inclined to regard the sense cells as peripheral 
nerve cells, and to believe that fusion between their fibrillae and those 
of the axis cylinder has taken place secondarily. 
Finally, the most recent publication upon this subject that has come 
to my attention is that of Bielschowsky und Briihl (:07). The 
formaldehyde method of reduction of silver oxide was applied by 
these investigators to the ear of the guinea pig and of human embryos. 
In agreement with Kolmer and other investigators, they affirm that 
true anastomosis between neighboring fibres is not rare in the nerve 
plexus underlying the zone of sense cells. From this plexus some fibres 
