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network very minute fibres are given off, which pass through 
the rete Malpighii, and then along three or four rows of 
epithelial cells, and finally terminate in peculiar terminal 
corpuscles. Each of these bodies is ovoid, round, or oval in 
shape, of a light brown colour, and supplied with a nucleus. 
From the upper part of each corpuscle is given off two or 
more extremely minute filaments, which diverge and ramify 
among the epidermic cells, and finally end in small rounded 
swellings about half-way between the external surface of the 
epidermis and the rete Malpighii. 
In the newly born child these corpuscles are very numerous, 
and are separated by intervals corresponding only to two, three, 
or six epidermic cells. 
On the Nerves of the Cornea. By H. Petermoller. Zcit- 
schrift fur Rationelle Medicin. Henle u. Pfeufer, 1863. — In 
this contribution are given the details of the microscopic 
appearances of the nervous distribution in corneal tissue ; 
the investigations were made on the corneee of man, domes- 
ticated mammals, and birds, after the membrane had been 
subjected to the action of acetic acid and chloride of gold. 
In man and the calf the nerve trunks which pass from the 
conjunctiva into the tissue of the cornea are soon broken up 
by dichotomous and trichototnous division into their primitive 
fibres. These fibres then lose their double contour, and by 
intercrossing with one another at right angles form a very fine 
network. There is no true anastomoses of the nerve-fibres, 
but a simple contact at the points where they intercross. 
Many of the larger fibres present distinct nuclei, the long 
axes of which are parallel to the direction taken by the fibres. 
In the cornea of the dog the nerve-fibres swell out at certain 
points, and here there is a true anastomosis. From these swell- 
ings, two, three, or more primitive fibres pass to other similar 
enlargements, and a rich network is thus formed. This network 
runs some distance below and parallel to the outer surface of 
the cornea. Above this, and placed more superficially is 
another nerve plexus, and the two are connected by fine 
varicose tubes and some ordinary nerve-fibres. The terminal 
branches of this superficial plexus pass to the very surface 
of the cornea. In birds there is a very distinct deep-seated 
plexus, which is formed in the following manner : — two or 
more primitive nerve-fibres, after losing their double-contour, 
run parallel for a certain distance, and then terminate in a 
large oval granular body, from which one or more fibres are 
given off to form a fine plexus. 
Petermoller has never found any direct continuation of the 
nerve-fibres into the substance of the corpuscles of the cornea 
