POSTMORTEM 



1165 



POSTPALATINE 



taken out with the kidneys ; in either case it is best 

 to remove the organs on the left side first. Section is 

 made of the adrenals ; also of the kidneys. In the 

 latter the capsule is stripped off, and a note is made 

 of the extent, if at all, to which it is adherent; also 

 whether the renal substance is torn on removing the 

 capsule. The next step consists in the removal of the 

 intestines. These are cut closely to their mesenteric 

 attachment, care being taken to leave as little of the 

 mesentery attached to the gut as possible. The fecal 

 contents are then washed out by a running stream of 

 water through the bowel, which is opened at the attach- 

 ment of the mesentery and examined. In removing 

 the intestines, the rectum and the first and second por- 

 tion of the duodenum are left in situ. The next step is 

 usually the opening of the stomach and remaining 

 portion of the duodenum. This is accomplished, like 

 the opening of the intestines, by means of the entero- 

 tome. After the duodenum is opened, the gall-bladder 

 is pressed until bile is made to flow from the mouth 

 of the common duct in the duodenum. If this is im- 

 possible, obstruction exists. The gastric contents are 

 described, and the condition of the walls noted. The 

 pancreas is now examined, the condition of its duct, 

 and the presence of cysts or stones being noted. It is 

 then removed and incised longitudinally. The liver is 

 next taken out, the condition of the vessels entering 

 the portal fissure having been noted before they were 

 divided. The liver is weighed and measured trans- 

 versely, longitudinally, and vertically, the width of the 

 two large lobes being taken separately. A long incision 

 is now made into the substance of the organ and the 

 conditions noted, especially the relation of the connec- 

 tive tissue to the hepatic substance proper. The pelvic 

 organs are next removed. This is best accomplished 

 by first making a cut into the bladder ; into the open- 

 ing a finger is inserted, while the other fingers grasp 

 the rectum. By making the tissues tense, their sepa- 

 ration from the bony wall of the pelvis is facilitated. 

 After removal they are cut open ; in the case of a 

 female subject, the uterus is opened by a longitudinal 

 cut through the anterior wall. A fine probe is passed 

 into the oviducts to ascertain their patulousness ; they 

 may also be opened by a delicate pair of scissors. 

 Nothing of importance remains now in the abdomen 

 except the vessels and the semilunar ganglia. The latter 

 should be examined in situ and also after removal. 

 The aorta should be opened by a longitudinal incision 

 extending from the beginning of the arch down to its 

 bifurcation, thence prolonged out into the iliac arteries. 

 The thoracic duct should be looked for at the side 

 of the aorta. The trachea, larynx, thyroid gland, 

 pharynx, and tongue can be removed either through a 

 median incision in the front of the neck or from the 

 base of the neck. For the removal of the brain it 

 is necessary to saw out a portion of the cranial vault. 

 It is customary to divide the scalp about on a line 

 with the coronal suture. The vault is sawn through 

 m front and behind, a large, wedge-shaped piece 

 being removed. The dura is then divided on a line 

 with the sawn edge of the bone, and also separated 

 from its attachment to the crista galli in front. The 

 brain is then carefully lifted from its bed, the nerves 

 pas-inj,' from it divided, and the attachment of the 

 dura to the petrous portion of the temporal bone 

 cut loose. If possible, the pituitary body should 

 be kept attached to the brain. A long knife is now 

 introduced into the spinal canal, and the cord cut as 

 iow down as possible. The brain is then lifted out 

 and placed on a board or plate. After a careful sur- 

 vey of its external appearances, the organ is dissected. 

 A number of methods are in vogue. One of the best 



is that known as Edinger's method; only its general 

 features can be indicated here. The lateral ventricles 

 are first opened ; then the cerebral hemispheres are 

 cut away from the basal ganglia. Longitudinal and 

 transverse cuts are made into the cerebral mantle, 

 observing always to make the incisions as near as pos- 

 sible at right angles to the course of the convolutions. 

 The basal ganglia are examined by making multiple 

 incisions into them ; the cerebellum is similarly treated. 

 The spinal cord is generally removed from the back ; 

 special saws have been devised to cut the pedicles of 

 the vertebrae. The cord itself is removed in its mem- 

 branes from below upward, the most important point 

 being the avoidance of traction. The membranes 

 are opened, and the cord-substance divided at short 

 intervals by transverse cuts. The eyes, if it be neces- 

 sary, can be removed without difficulty. The removal 

 of the organ of hearing requires considerable labor. 

 All organs should, if possible, be weighed. 



Postmortuary (post-mor / -tu-a-re) [post, after ; mars, 

 mortis, death]. Postmortem. 



Postnares [post-na'-rez) [post, behind ; naris, nostril]. 

 The posterior nares. 



Postnarial (post-na'-re-al) [post, behind; naris, a 

 nostril]. Situated behind the nostrils. 



Postnasal {post-na f -sal) [post, behind; nasus, nose]. 

 Situated behind the nose. P. Catarrh, catarrhal in- 

 flammation of the naso-pharynx. 



Postnasus ( post-na' -sus) [post, after; nasus, nose]. 

 In biology, a division of the clypeus in certain insects ; 

 the supraclypeus. 



Postnatal (post-na' '-tal) [post, after; natus, born]. 

 Subsequent to birth, as a postnatal disease. 



Postoblongata (pbst-ob-long-ga'-tah) [post, after; ob- 

 longata, medulla oblongata]. The caudal or meten- 

 cephalic portion of the oblongata, forming the floor 

 of the metacele. 



Postocular (pdst-ok'-u-lar) [post, behind ; oculus, the 

 eye]. In biology, situated back of, behind, or beneath 

 the eye. 



Postolivary ( post-ol' -iv-a-re) [post, behind ; olivarius, 

 olivary]. Behind the oliva. 



Postomosternal (pdst-o-mo-ster'-nal) [post, behind ; 

 ufioq, shoulder; mtpvov, sternum]. Pertaining to the 

 postomosternum. 



Postomosternum (post-o-moster' -nuni) [post, behind ; 

 ufioq, shoulder; arepvov, sternum]. A posterior omo- 

 sternum. 



Postoperative (post op'-er-a-fiv) [post, after; operatio, 

 operation]. Occurring after an operation, as post- 

 operative insanity. 



Postoperculum ( post-o-per'-ku-luni) [post, after ; oper- 

 culum, lid]. That one of the folds covering the 

 insula which is formed of a part of the supertemporal 

 gyrus; the temporal operculum. 



Postopticus (post-op/ -tik-us) [post, after ; v\b, eye : 

 pi. , Postoptici 1. Either one of the posterior pair of 

 optic lobes, or corpora quadrigemina. 



Postoral (pdst-o'-ral) [post, after; os, oris, mouth]. 

 Situated either dorsad or caudad of the mouth. P. 

 Arches. See Arch. P. Segments, in biology, the 

 primary segments behind the mouth of certain arthro- 

 pods. 



Postorbital ( post- or'- bit- al) [post, behind; orbita, 

 orbit]. In biology: (a) situated behind the orbit; 



Sb) placed back of the compound eye of an insect ; 

 c) a separate bone in the orbit of certain reptiles. 

 Postpalatal (post-pal' -at-al ) [ /<v/, behind ; palatum, 



the palate]. Situated behind the palate bones. 

 Postpalatine ( post-pal' -at-in) [post, behind ; palatum, 

 palate]. In biology, a bone in the skull of certain 

 reptiles, also called pterygoid. 



