258 BACTERIOLOGY 



handle, preferably the former. It can readily be thrust into 

 the densest of the soft tissues, and by twisting it about 

 after its introduction particles of the tissue sufficient for 

 examination are withdrawn in the eye of the spear-head. 



Cultures from the blood are usually made from one of the 

 cavities of the heart, which is always punctured at a point 

 which has been burned in the way given. 



In addition to cultures, cover-slips from the site of inocu- 

 lation, from each organ, and from any exudates that may 

 be present must be made. These, however, are prepared 

 after the materials for the cultures have been obtained. 

 They need not be examined immediately, but may be 

 placed aside, under cover, on bits of paper upon which the 

 name of the organ from which they were prepared is written. 



When the autopsy is complete and the gross appearances 

 have been carefully noted, small portions of each organ are 

 to be preserved in 95 per cent, alcohol for subsequent 

 examination. Throughout the entire autopsy it must be 

 borne in mind that all cultures, cover-slips, and tissues must 

 be carefully labelled, not only with the name of the organ 

 from which they originate, but with the date, designation 

 of the animal, etc., so that an account of their condition 

 after closer study may be subsequently inserted in the 

 protocol. 



The cover-slips are now to be stained, mounted, and 

 examined microscopically, and the results carefully noted. 



The same care with regard to noting, labelling, etc., 

 should be exercised in the subsequent study of the cultures 

 and the hardened tissues, which are to be stained and sub- 

 jected to microscopic examination. The results of micro- 

 scopic study of the cover-slip preparations and of those 

 obtained by cultures should in most cases correspond, 



