590 DES. GEORGE AND FRANCES E. HOGGAN ON 



central nerve-centres of consciousness or of motor action, or to the 

 neighbouring blood-vessels, just as an electric battery is used at 

 a telegrapb-station to generate the current which carries the 

 telegraphic message from that station to different distant desti- 

 nations. 



Concluding 'Bemar'ks regarding the Organ of Eimer. 

 Finally, w^hat bearing have the considerations contained in the 

 last few pages upon differentiation of structure and function in 

 the subject of our original text, the organ of Eimer ? They have 

 shown that the centre fibrils in the organ and the nerve-cells at 

 the base, with which they are continuous, are similar in character 

 to the subepidermic nerve-cells and their intraepidermic fibrillar 

 prolongations. The outer circle of fibrils have equally their 

 existence and nature explained, as well as the cause of their being 

 dragged into their present position in the epidermis. Then, as 

 relates to function, Eimer was certainly correct, or, at all events, 

 within the truth, when he spoke of the organ he had discovered 

 in the Mole as " a tactile ijistrument " (" Tast-Werkzeug "), as it is 

 certainly tactile, and possesses other sensorial functions as well. 

 From what we have said, it may be considered very probable that 

 the inner circle of fibrils, the analogues of the forked endings, 

 provide capacity for the sense of touch, while the centre fibrils 

 and those of the outer circle provide for the sense of temperature, 

 pain, and any functions connected with the sympathetic nerve- 

 system. The Pacinian bodies at the root of the organ, but not 

 properly connected with it, are probably the agents for register- 

 ing pressure ; so that in itself the organ of Eimer is completely 

 provided with the full armament of peripheral nerve-terminations. 



List of Authors referred to in the preceding Paper. 



CoHNHEiM. " Ueber die Endigung der sensiblen Nerven in der Horn- 

 haut," Virchow's Archiv, vol. xxxviii. 



Langerhans. " Ueber die Nerven der uiensehlichen Haut," Virchow's 

 Archiv, vol. xliv. (for 1868) p. 325. 



Eberth. "Die Endigung der Hautnerven," Archiv fiir mikroskopische 

 Anatomic, 1870. 



Podcopaew. " Ueber die Endigung der Nerven in der Epithelial- 

 Schicht der Haut," Arch. f. mik. Anat. vol. v. p. 506. 



EnN. ' Zur Kenntniss der feineren Nerven der Mundhohlenschleim- 

 haut," Arch. f. mik. Anat. vol. vii. (for 1871) p. 382. 



EiMBR. '-Die Schnauze des Maulwurfs als Tast-Werkzeug," Arch. f. 

 mik. Anat. vol. vii. (for 1871) p. 181. 



Mojsisovics. " Ueber die Nervenendigung in der Epidermis der 

 Sanger," Sitzungsberichte der k.-k. Akademie zu Wieu, vol. Ixxi. part 3 

 (for 1875), p. 242, and vol. Ixxiii. part 3 (for 1876), p. &9. 



