MULTIPLE NEUROMATA OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. 75l 
Between the fibres was a varying amount, usually a very slight amount, of connective 
tissue. 
The most striking feature of the nodules was the very characteristic and numerous 
nuclei. In some nodules they were more numerous than in others (cf. figs. 19 and 20). 
In all they were elongated on longitudinal section, with blurred ends, and with their long 
axis parallel to the long axis of the fibre. Further, the nucleus stained intensively, and 
a very distinct network and membrane and closely distributed, fine, chromatin granules 
could be made out, but, except in a few, no nucleolus. The cylindrical shape of the 
nucleus distinguished it from the oval nuclei of the endoneurium and of the endothelial 
cells, and they were further recognised by their arrangement and relation to the 
fibres. Sometimes, especially in the fibres breaking off from the nodules, long bands 
of fibres could be resolved simply into long stretches of nuclei, some of which showed 
a constriction in the middle. The nuclei belonging to the connective tissue stained 
less deeply, their longitudinal axis was not always parallel to the fibre, but often 
transverse, and further, they frequently showed nucleoli. ‘lhe endothelial nuclei, 
which again might cause confusion, are larger, oval, less deeply stained, usually with 
nucleolus, and closely related to a lumen in which red blood cells could be recognised. 
It was impossible by means of any of the stains to distinguish the nerve fibre nuclei 
from the nuclei of the unstriped muscle fibres in the vessel-walls. 
Cajal’s silver stain.—The fibres stain intensely black and the longitudinal fibres 
show numerous irregularities and fine varicosities on their course. From the thicker 
fibres branch off delicate twigs, often at a sharp angle, and these fine twigs, twining 
round larger fibres, frequently end in a homogeneous bulb—similar to Cajal’s céne 
de croissance. In the vessel-walls, especially of the smaller vessels, the fibres form a 
plexus of fine fibres with branchings ending in homogeneous cones or rings (figs. 10-12). 
Along the course of the fibres are numerous elongated nuclei, and in relation to the 
transversely cut fibres are similar nuclei showing a circular outline. Both on 
longitudinal and transverse sections, the nuclei show a very intimate relation to the 
axis-cylinder (fig. 8). 
Weigert’s medullated sheath stain.—The larger nodules under low power stain 
almost as deeply as the surrounding fibres of the white matter; under high power 
this is shown to be due to their very close disposition, for the individual fibres are 
much more faintly stained than normal fibres. It is thus seen that the fibres are made 
up of elongated, often bulging cylinders, with a very narrow connecting bridge: the 
cylinders are longer in the darker stained fibres and shorter in the faintly stained, and 
the latter are best seen in the walls of vessels forming a reticulum (figs. 13 and 25). 
When the strands of fibres are cut transversely, there are numerous fine points 
amongst the larger cross-sections: these points correspond in all probability to 
the connecting bridges between the cylinders. The fibres composing the strands 
are in all cases much finer than the fibres of a peripheral nerve, or even of the 
herve roots. 
