418 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XI. No. 272. 



direct surgical and medical interest, and 

 leading up to an operative course, being the 

 third year's course of practical anatomy 

 at the University of Texas. 

 The anatomy of the anal region : Dr. Keilleb. 

 Careful description of the relations of the 

 levator ani, external and internal sphincter, 

 the radicles of the hemorrhoidal veins, and 

 the bearing of these facts on operations for 

 piles and on the pathology of ischiorectal 



On, a hitherto unrecognized form of vertebrate 

 blood circulation in organs without capillaries: 

 Db. Minot, Boston. 



Non- development of the left heart and closure of 

 the aortic valve, depending upon an error in 

 the development of the auricular septum : 

 De. Blake, ISTew York City. 

 The child from which the specimen was 

 taken lived four days. It presented no 

 other abnormalities. It was cj'anotic and 

 died of cardiac failure. The riglit cham- 

 bers of heart, the pulmonary artery and 

 ductus arteriosus are very large. The left 

 chambers are veiy small. The aortic open- 

 ing is closed by a fibrous septum consisting 

 of the fused valves. The ascending aorta 

 is only of sufficient caliber to supply the 

 coronary arteries. The eustachian valve 

 is rudimentarJ^ 



The valve of the foramen ovale is devel- 

 oped in the right auricle so that fluids can 

 only pass from the left to the right auricle. 

 This arrangement of the valve can be ex- 

 plained by the method of development of 

 the auricular septum, as described by Born 

 in rabbit embryos, if we presume an over- 

 growth of the septum secundum and an in- 

 sufficient development of the primary sep- 

 tum. The interest of the specimen lies in the 

 generalization of the application of Born's 

 theory of development. The left ventricle 

 receiving no blood, the aortic valves were 

 kept closed by back pressure and fused. No 

 similar anomalies could be found recorded. 



The delimitation of the divisions of the large m- 

 testine according to intrinsic features : De. 

 Geeeish. 



The argument made is that the segment 

 variously called sigmoid colon, sigmoid 

 flexure, iliac colon, and omega flexure, 

 should include all of that part and only that 

 part of the large intestine, caudad of the 

 crest of the ilium, which has a mesentery. 

 This plan would subtract a little from the 

 cephalic portion of the sigmoid colon, as 

 generally accepted now, and would add to 

 its caudal portion making the rectum be- 

 gin at the third sacral vertebra. 



The normal capacity of the human bladder : De. 



Geeeish. 



This question can be answered by physi- 

 ologic tests only. The normal capacity is 

 not shown by the amount of fluid which 

 the viscus can possibly contain without rup- 

 ture or even by that which it occasionally 

 holds without appreciable harm. But it 

 can be determined by ascertaining the 

 average amount of urine secreted in 24 

 hours and the average number of micturi- 

 tions in the same time. By this method 

 the capacity is found to be not much in ex- 

 cess of 250 grams (8 oz.) : one-half that 

 usually stated. 



Observations on_aensory nerve fibers in the vis- 

 ceral nerves, with remarks on their mode of 

 termination: De. Hubee. 

 That relatively large medullated nerves 

 end in the viscera we know from the obser- 

 vations of Gaskell, Langlej^and Edgeworth, 

 and from the more recent investigations of 

 numerous observers who have investigated 

 the sympathetic nervous system or the in- 

 nervation of the viscera with the aid of 

 the Golgi or methylin blue methods. That 

 these relatively large medullated nerves 

 terminate either in special end- organs. Pa- 

 cinian corpuscles, encapsulated nerve-end- 

 ings of Timofew, etc., or in free sensory 

 endings, seems also well established. The 



