I 

 INOCULATION OF ANIMALS. ICK 



CHAPTER VI. 



INOCULATION OF ANIMALS. 



IN the study of pathogenic bacteria, the inoculation of 

 animals is frequently indispensable. The animals most 

 often used are white mice, guinea-pigs, rabbits and pigeons. 

 Larger animals are occasionally employed for special pur- 

 poses. White mice may be kept in a glass jar covered 

 with wire netting. They may be fed with moistened bread 

 or oats. It is important to see that they receive drinking- 

 water. During inoculation the mouse must be kept in 



FIG. 34. 



Mouse-holder. 



position by some sort of mouse-holder, or may be held by 

 an assistant, who takes the skin at the back of the neck 

 between his fingers and at the same time holds the tail. 

 The hair is cut off from the skin at the root of the tail. 

 A small V-shaped opening in the skin is made with scis- 

 sors, and a stiff sterilized platinum wire is passed into this 

 opening, separating the skin from the muscles for some 

 distance so as to make a pocket. Into this pocket the ma- 

 terial is introduced by means of the platinum wire. The 



