MATERIAL FOR BACTERIOLOGIC EXAMINATION 167 



outside contamination by first searing the surface of the 

 organ with a hot iron, and then cutting a piece of tissue 

 from beneath the seared surface. Similarly, in secur- 

 ing specimens of heart's blood the surface of the heart is 

 first seared with a hot iron, and then, with a sterile hollow 

 needle, blood is drawn from witfiin the heart cavity by 

 thrusting the needle through the seared surface. The 

 piece of tissue or blood should be placed in a sterile 

 bottle or test-tube plugged with cotton and at once 

 carried to the laboratory. 



Urine. The nurse will be familiar with the collection of 

 specimens of urine for the ordinary chemical and micro- 

 scopic examination. In certain instances, however, it is 

 desired to make cultures, and then great care must be 

 taken to collect the specimens, by means of a sterile cath- 

 eter, in a sterile bottle. 



Feces. Bacteriologic examinations of feces are fre- 

 quently undertaken in order to discover the presence of 

 typhoid bacilli. Such specimens should be placed in a 

 clean wide-mouthed bottle and tightly corked. The 

 bottle should never be more than half-full. The specimen 

 should be fresh, and should be sent to the laboratory 

 without delay. In summer the specimen should be kept 

 cool with ice. Under no circumstances should a disin- 

 fectant be added. 



