92 
Ctaccio^ on the Nerves of the Cornea. 
finest brandies of sensitive nerves are brought into relation 
with the tissues in v/hich they ramify. The opinion I have 
just expressed seems to me to be corroborated by this fact_, 
that the nerve-fibres which proceed from the ganglion-cells 
are more or less nucleated. Now I ask_, what is the oflSce of 
these nuclei which are seen in connection with the fibres near 
their point of origin from the cells ? It does not appear very 
probable that they are concerned in the formation and repair 
of the fibres while the cells are charged with a higher and 
more important ofiice. If such a conclusion be not ad- 
mitted; the function of these nuclei must remain unexplained. 
Relation of the terminal branches of nerves to the cornea- 
corpuscles. 
Scattered throughout the fibrous tissue of the cornea are 
an immense number of bodies which Virchow^ who studied 
them carefully after their discovery by Toynbee^ called cornea- 
corpuscles. From each of these corpuscles arise several 
branching processes^ which freely anastomose with each 
other so as to form an admirable network^ which extends 
over the whole so-called proper cornea. These corpuscles 
are intensely coloured by carmine^ while their processes 
remain or are very slightly coloured. Now^ it must be ob- 
served that the branches of the nerves which supply the 
cornea during their course, are in close contact with the 
cornea-corpuscles and their processes. I have often seen 
very fine nerve-fibres passing close by some of these cor- 
puscleSj and as their external appearance is the same as that 
of the processes_, which are derived from them, it is difficult 
to distinguish the former from the latter. It appears to me, 
therefore, that between the nerve-fibres and the cornea-cor- 
puscles there is no other relation but that of contiguity; 
because careful observations show that the nerve-fibres 
always maintain their individuality and never lose them- 
selves in another tissue. 
I shall conclude by only adding a few words about the 
preparations from whose careful examination are deduced all 
the facts contained in this paper. All my specimens have 
been prepared in the same way, and preserved as permanent 
objects in glycerine. In fact, the same process has been 
followed as that employed by Dr. Beale in his investigations 
on many of the simple tissues of the body. Most of the 
specimens have been examined by Dr. Beale, to whom I am 
greatly indebted for the kind assistance and warm encourage- 
