METHOD OF SECURING CEREBROSPINAL FLUID 



37 



(c) Placental Blood. For purposes of immunization corpuscles may 

 be obtained by collecting placental blood. 



1. After tying and cutting the cord, the placental end is placed care- 

 fully in a 150 c.c. flask or bottle containing from 25 to 50 c.c. of sterile 

 2 per cent, sodium citrate in physiologic salt solution. To avoid con- 

 tamination, the cord may be lightly 



sponged with 1 per cent, formalin 

 solution and severed with sterile 

 scissors. 



2. By exerting pressure on the 

 uterus blood may be squeezed out 

 of the placenta. The flask is then 

 sealed with a sterile cotton plug and 

 gently shaken. 



3. The corpuscles are obtained 

 by centrifugalization or sedimenta- 

 tion. Ill t | 



D. 



METHOD OF SECURING CEREBRO- 

 SPINAL FLUID (RACHICENTESIS) 



The chief purpose in making 

 spinal puncture is to obtain and 

 examine cerebrospinal fluid as an 

 aid to the diagnosis of cerebro- 

 spinal diseases. It is mainly of 

 value in neurologic and psychiatric 

 practice, for the purpose of securing 

 fluid for making the Wassermann 

 reaction, for a study of cytologic 

 changes, alterations in protein con- 

 tent, and the like. Not infrequently 

 the procedure is required as an aid 

 to establishing a diagnosis of men- 

 ingeal diseases in children, particu- 

 larly tuberculous meningitis, epi- 

 demic cerebrospinal meningitis, meningeal irritation, 

 gitis, " etc. 



Contraindications. Ordinarily, when skilfully performed, spinal 

 puncture is a harmless procedure. Unless the necessity for obtaining 

 fluid is very urgent, the operation should not be done on persons in poor 



c n. 



FIG. 16a. PARTS OF THE KEIDEL,TTJBE. 

 E is the vacuum bulb which is at- 

 tached to the needle by a piece of rubber 

 tubing (D); the glass tube (B) covers 

 the needle and the whole is sterilized. 



serous memn- 



