FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE STRUCTURAL 
ALTERATIONS OBSERVED IN NERVE CELLS* 
By W. B. WARRINGTON, M.D., M.R.C.P. 
From the Thompson Yates Laboratory, School of Pathology, Liverpool 
Four Figures in Text. 
Contents 
1. Additional experiments showing the effect on the cells of the anterior horns in the cervical 
region of section of the posterior roots. 
2. Condition of the cells in the cord after section of both anterior and posterior roots. 
3. On the ultimate fate of nerve cells which have undergone structural alteration. 
(^2) After section of their axons. 
{b) After cutting oft' of the afferent impulses which normally impinge upon them. 
4. Effect of complete and partial division of the cord on the cells in the gre}' matter. 
5. Condition of the cells in the anterior horns after hemisection of the cord and division of 
posterior roots. 
Method. The animals experimented upon were in all cases Cats ; after complete 
anaesthesia had been obtained, laminectomy was performed and the dura mater freely opened. The 
usual antiseptic precautions were ol served, and after exposing the dura warm normal saline solution 
was alone used. In all the experiments quoted the wound healed by primary union and the 
animals were in a healthy condition. 
The method of staining the nerve cells used was that described by Held. A saturated 
solution of perchloride of mercury was used for fixation, and afterwards the tissue was hardened 
in gradually ascending strength of alcohol. Unless otherwise stated, series of sections of lOfx 
thickness were cut, and in order to trace the nerve cells through their wliole thickness every 
alternate five sections were examined. 
I. ADDITIONAL EXPERIMENTS SHOWING THE EFFECT ON THE CELLS 
OF THE ANTERIOR HORNS IN THE CERVICAL REGION OF 
SECTION OF THE POSTERIOR ROOTS 
In a former papert I gave the resnlt of experiments which showed that cutting off the 
afferent impulses to the cord by means of section of the posterior nerve roots produced marked 
changes in the large cells of the anterior grey matter, and especially in certain segments and in the 
posterior lateral group of cells in these segments. 
* Reprinted from the 'Journal of Physiology,' vol. xxiv, No. 6, August 21, 1899. 
f Warrington. 'Journ. of Physiol.,' xxiii, p. 112, 1898, 
