The Lacrimal Channels in Cyclopia

THE problem of the origin of the naso-lacrimal apparatus in cyclopia, raised by the observation of Chatterjee (1950) of canaliculi and naso-lacrimal ducts and sac in a human cyclops, led me to investigate the microscopic structure of the lower lids of a full-term male human cyclops which recently came into my possession, and, through the kindness of Professors M. A total of seven specimens has been examined; this represents all the specimens of cyclopia present in the Anatomical Museums of Ireland, there being no specimen at University College, Galway, or at The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. MATERIAL AND METHOD The specimens were examined with a low power magnifier for the presence of lacrimal puncta, and the Cork specimen was dissected by Dr. Fitzgerald and shown at the summer meeting of the Anatomical Society, and will be the subject of a separate report by him. My own specimen had the medially situated soft tissue of the lower orbital region serially sectioned in the coronal plane at ten microns, and was stained with hzematoxylin and eosin. Specimen 1. (T.C.D.1)-A small microcephalic female fretus with a large encephalo-meningoccele extending from the forehead to the lower end of the ver-tebral column. It had a foot-length of 4.9 cms. from which its age was estimated as twenty-five weeks (Streeter, 1921). The head was in extreme retraction, and a p.roboscis separated the encephalo-meningoccele from the prominent single eyeball. The medial ends of the two lower eyelids were separated from each other by a small caruncle, which showed a median verticle raphe dividing it into two halves. A definite punctum was found at the medial end of the right lower lid, and what was thought to represent a punctum was found in a corresponding position on the left lower lid. The lower lids continued round the single eyeball to become continuous with the upper lids without any external canthi. The medial ends of the upper lids showed no signs of puncta, and were separated by a small amount of loose tissue resembling somewhat a caruncle. The single optic bulb showed two distinct oval cornea elongated vertically. The proboscis measured 1.5 cm. long and showed a single blind opening at its tip. 189