Unpublished paper, 'On the apparent relation of the nerves to the muscular tissues, in the aquatic larva of Tipula crystallina of de Geer [common crane fly]; illustrated by drawings and photographs from life' by Richard Leach Maddox

Description

After alluding to the effects of various reagents which were generally found useless in differentiating the fine nervous structures, and the ordinary mode of branching in the nerves from the ganglionic chain, two particular methods of termination are selected as illustrative of the relation between the muscular and nervous tissues. One, termed the 'flabelliform', where the nerve, on approaching the muscular sheath, expands into a fan shape, and with its fine granular and nucleated contents embraces the muscle in form of the letter A, without any evidence of the granulai matter and sarcous elements being in absolute contact; the other, called the 'stapiform' or stirrup-shaped. The latter, in its early stage, is knobbed in appearance. This, the early stage, is shown gradually passing into the cellular, looped, or stirrup form, embracing the fine muscular structure somewhat obliquely, or passing entirely round it, and projecting beyond its edge. In this form also there was no evidence of any union of the granular contents with the sarcous elements, though firm union existed between their sheaths or outer membranes. Fine networks, ending apparently in a granular irregular spot with a pale centre and uniting, are pointed out. The relation and union of short muscles passing between others, and nerve fibres lying alongside them, with flabelliform expansions, are remarked on, and shown in the figures and photographs. Muscles undergoing degeneration, or the metamorphic change, are noticed, and in no instance could a nerve fibre be seen attached to them, or a fibre that could with certainty be traced to any nerve or ganglion. No change was observed of a definite character, as regards the mode of union, under muscular contraction.

Marked on front as 'Archives 1867'. Includes ten plates of anatomical figures and six plates of photographs of larvae under the microscope.

Subject: Biology / Physiology / Entomology

Received 18 June 1867. Read 20 June 1867. Communicated by [William] Sharpey.

Written by Maddox in Woolstone [England].

Whilst the Royal Society declined to publish this paper in full, an abstract of the paper was published in volume 15 of the Proceedings of the Royal Society as 'On the apparent relation of the nerves to the muscular structures in the aquatic larva of Tipula crystallina of de geer'.

Reference number

AP/49/5

Earliest possible date

15 May 1867

Physical description

Ink on paper

Page extent

42 pages

Format

Drawing
Photograph
Manuscript