140 A MAISTUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



Knives, forceps, scissors, etc., should be well boiled in an 

 enamelled iron mug or pie-dish, the water being kept 

 boiling during the progress of the dissection and the 

 instruments rinsed from time to time in it. A little 

 sodium carbonate may with advantage be added to the 

 water. A small enamelled iron fish-kettle with perforated 

 strainer forms an excellent steriliser for instruments, 

 or a surgical instrument steriliser may be used. An 

 incision is made and the skin is well reflected and pinned 

 out ; the knife and forceps should then be re-sterilised, 

 or fresh sterile instruments taken, for the deeper incision 

 and for opening the body cavities ; these again must be 

 re-sterilised, or a third set of instruments employed for 

 incising the organs. 



During the progress of the dissection the condition of 

 the tissues at the seat of the inoculation should be noted, 

 and likewise the conditions of the serous membranes and 

 the various organs. In many infections the organism is 

 met with most abundantly in the spleen, in others in the 

 blood, and in some at the seat of inoculation. When a 

 systematic examination is made, film specimens and 

 cultures on two or three media, aerobic and anaerobic, 

 should be -prepared from the seat of inoculation, the 

 spleen, liver, lungs, and heart-blood, and in some cases 

 from the serous membranes, muscles, or central nervous 

 system in addition, the carcase being in the intervals 

 covered with a bell- jar which has been rinsed in, or with 

 filter-paper moistened with, antiseptic solution. An 

 assistant is often useful or even necessary. The greatest 

 care must be taken to avoid dropping or splashing or 

 otherwise disseminating infective material, any stains 

 being immediately swabbed up with antiseptic solution ; 

 and the operator must exercise every precaution to pre- 

 vent the infection of himself and others. It is convenient 

 to have some efficient antiseptic solution near at hand!; 



