172 
J. BEARD. 
Richtungen vom Zellkorper abgehen, &c.” I am inclined, 
and was so before reading these words, to agree with Professor 
His in his conclusions that the growth is a centripetal one ; 
indeed, as Dr. Hill (‘Three Lectures/ p. 3, No. 27) also has in- 
sisted, the matter is one of which the physiologists have already 
furnished the solution. He says, “ It appears probable that 
the fibres of the posterior roots also grow from the cells of the 
ganglion centralwards into the cord, instead of from the cord 
to the ganglion as usually supposed. A consideration of the 
effects of cutting nerves in such cases as have been hitherto 
described leads me to formulate the law that nerve- fibres 
die when cut off from the cells of which they are 
processes, and from which they derive their nutrient 
supply. It is well known that, when the posterior roots are 
cut, the fibres which remain attached to the root-ganglia 
live ; those entering the cord die.” 
I will not cast any doubt on Professor His’s very positive 
statements on this point, indeed, I believe they represent the 
facts of the case, but I must again say that the question is 
difficult, if not impossible, to decide for the spinal ganglia by 
direct observation, and for myself, I must admit that I have 
not been able to make more of it as yet. 1 
The mode in which the connection between the ganglia and 
their peripheral end organs takes place, is one on which there is 
also much dispute. For His (No. 33, p. 375) and Kolliker (Nos. 
42, 44) hold, as against all other observers, that the nerves 
are processes of the ganglionic cells, without any intervention of 
ganglionic cells or ganglionic cell nuclei in the course of the 
nerve. I shall have occasion to discuss this question more fully 
in connection with the anterior roots of spinal and cranial 
nerves, and content myself here with the remark that I believe 
Professor His’s and Kolliker’s conclusions cannot be maintained, 
and that the peripheral connection in the case of sensory or 
1 As an absolute maxim I am only inclined to support this as regards the 
spinal ganglia ; in the case of the cranial ganglia, as we shall see, there are 
reasons for holding this view only with regard to the sensory part of the 
root. 
