COLLECTION AND SHIPMENT OF 

 SPECIMENS AND MATERIALS. 



SPUTUM. 



THE sputum from the lower respiratory passages, and not 

 saliva or the nasopharyngeal secretions, should be sub- 

 mitted. No disinfectant should be added to the specimen. 

 It is necessary to explain this to the ward attendants, as they 

 are usually instructed to add disinfectants to all discharges. 

 Gross contamination should be avoided by keeping the speci- 

 men bottle tightly corked except during actual collection 

 of the specimen. Plainly label the bottle with the patient's 

 name, rank, organization, the station from which sent, and 

 the examination desired. Each specimen must be accom- 

 panied by requests, in duplicate, on Form 550, M. D. 



FECES. 



The specimen bottles mentioned in this circular are for 

 forwarding specimens of feces for examination for parasites 

 and their ova and occult blood. If bacteriological examina- 

 tions for typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, or bacillary 

 dysentery are desired, specimens should be forwarded in glass- 

 stoppered bottles. Patients in whose cases an examination 

 for occult blood is desired should be placed on a meat-free 

 diet for at least two days prior to the collection of the specimen. 



The specimens or feces are to be collected in large num- 

 bers for carrier examinations for typhoid, paratyphoid, etc. 

 Time can be economized and a system for laboratory col- 

 lections established by furnishing test-tubes containing 



(13) 



