PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS 185 



3. Two or three platinum wires one of which should be stout and flattened 

 at the end in the form of a small spatula. 



4. An iron rod of the size of a large goose- quill and 15-20 cm. long, 

 mounted in a wooden handle. 



5. A tray of zinc or copper or a sheet of cork. 



6. Sterile absorbent wool in a glass bottle plugged with wool and some 

 sterile filter paper. 



Cut a sheet of filter paper into pieces about 10 cm. square, wrap them in a piece 

 of ordinary paper and sterilize the packet in the autoclave. 



7. An enamelled iron bowl or glass dish containing an antiseptic solution 

 (O'Ol per cent, corrosive sublimate, or oxycyanide of mercury [or 2 per cent, 

 lysol]). 



8. A Bunsen burner or a spirit lamp. 



9. Tubes of agar, broth, etc. 



10. [Slides and cover-glasses.] 



11. Wide-mouthed, glass-stoppered bottles of 30-50 c.c. capacity. 



2. Preliminary operations. 



1. Fasten the animal securely to the tray. In the case of rabbits, guinea- 

 pigs, cats, etc., lay them on the back, pass a slip knot round each paw and 

 tie to holes in the sides of the tray [or if a wooden board be used pin the 

 animal's extended paws to it with large drawing pins]. 



Frogs, mice, sparrows, etc., can be pinned down on their backs to the cork 

 sheet, one pin being passed through the neck the others through the extended 

 paws or wings. 



In the case of fowls and pigeons cut off the wings, lay the animal on its 

 back and fasten the neck and legs by cords passed through holes in the sides 

 of the tray. 



2. The animal being fastened out, thoroughly wet the surface of the thorax 

 and abdomen with the antiseptic and cut off the hair gathering up the loose 

 hair in a piece of paper which is then burnt. Never cut off the hair without 

 first of all wetting it. 



In the case of birds the same precaution must be adopted before plucking 

 the feathers. 



3. Examination of the external surface of the carcase. 



Before opening the carcase, examine the external surface carefully for 

 lesions of the skin, abscesses, etc. If an abscess be found, cut away the hair, 

 cauterize the surface thoroughly with a red-hot iron rod, flame and break 

 off the point of a Pasteur pipette as quickly as possible, push the pipette 

 through the centre of the cauterized area and aspirate the pus through the 

 plugged end. 



If the pus be thick and inspissated as it often is in the case of rabbits and 

 cannot be drawn into the pipette, make an incision with a sterile knife after cauterizing 

 the skin and collect the contents either on the point of the knife or with a stout 

 platinum wire. 



After sowing two or three tubes of culture media with some of the material 

 prepare films for microscopical examination. 



4. Examination of the internal organs. 



As a rule it is better to open the thorax first. If the abdomen were opened 

 before the thorax it might happen that contamination of the thoracic organs 

 could not be prevented. 



