12 



THE METHOD OF MAKING POST-MORTEM EXAMINATIONS. 



thus made through the roof of the ventricle is prolonged backward and 

 forward in the direction of the coruua, so as to expose the entire ventri- 

 cle. A longitudinal incision is then made outward and backward into 

 the hemisphere, from the outer edge of the lateral ventricle nearly to 

 the pia mater. A second incision is then made through this cut surface 

 outward, and this is repeated until the hemisphere is divided into a 



FIG. 2. METHOD OF OPENING THE BRAIN, SHOWING THE DIRECTION OF FIRST INCISION. 



number of long, prism-shaped pieces, held together by the pia mater 

 and a small portion of the cortex. The brain is now turned around so 

 as to bring the other hemisphere under the hand, and the operation is 

 repeated on the other side. 



The size, shape, and contents of the ventricles should be noticed, and 

 the thickness and appearance of the ependyma. 



The fornix and the central portion of the corpus callosum are cut 

 across by passing the point of the knife through the foramen of Munro 

 and cutting upward. They are then drawn backward, one of the pos- 

 terior cornua of the fornix being severed and laid to one side. The 



