TWENTY-FIRST ORDINARY MEETING. 277 



taining them show fewer and fewer signs of vitality, that is, as the cells 

 progress towards the superficial layer of the epithelium the Figures of 

 Eberth diminish in size, and in the superficial layer vanish almost 

 completely. This, I think, is an indication that the Figures of 

 Eberth protect the intracellular ends of the nerve fibrils from the 

 vital processes of the cells. 



A further study on the same subject has given the following 

 results : 



1. The Figures of Eberth are the secretion or rather the pro- 

 duction of the intracellular ends of the nerve fibrils, and are not 

 formed from or by the cell protoplasm. This is seen in cases where 

 a Figure of Eberth may be continued outside the cell on the nerve- 

 fibril, or in oases where the cells have been brushed away, but 

 leaving the Figures, which then soon become abnormally large. In 

 the latter no cell protoplasm is present, and consequently the Figures 

 must be produced by the fibrils. 



2. Free intercellular nerve endings are produced by the intra- 

 cellular fibres losing the cells with which they are connected, as in 

 the case when the latter die or are cast ofi". This is evident from 

 the fact that free intercellular endings are most abundant between 

 the superficial cells. 



3. So far as yet observed, the intracellular fibrils never end in the 

 nuclei. 



In answer to a question by Dr. Bryce, Mr. Macallum said 

 that the nerves of the retina terminate in the rods and cones, 

 which he illustrated by a diagram. 



TWENTY-FIRST ORDINARY MEETING. 



The Twenty-First Ordinary Meeting was held on 4th 

 April, 1885, the President in the Chair. 



The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. 



The following list of donations and exchanges was read : 



1. The Canadian Practitioner, Vol. X., No. 4, April, 1885, 



2. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Part III., 



November-December, 1 884. 



3. Journal of the New York Microscopical Society, Vol. I, No. 3, March, 1885. 



