COLLECTION OF FECES 75 



raw cotton and sterilized, preferably by dry heat. Someone 

 should supervise the collection of the specimen and see that 

 the patient spits a representative (instruction from doctor) 

 sample directly into the bottle and does not let it touch the 

 outside of the neck. The part of the cotton plug which 

 extends beyond the mouth of the bottle should be held by 

 someone and the stopper part not allowed to touch anything 

 while out of the bottle. After the plug is replaced the out- 

 side of the bottle is cleansed, as for tuberculosis sputum. 



The sputum is an excretion from the trachea, bronchi, 

 and lungs, and care should be taken that the specimen col- 

 lected is such and not saliva mixed with posterior nasal 

 mucus. Before the patient coughs up the specimen the 

 buccal and pharyngeal cavities should be thoroughly rinsed 

 with warm saline solution; this removes the mouth bacteria 

 and the specimen really represents the flora in the deeper 

 air passages. In children it is necessary to induce a cough 

 and to collect the sputum on cotton-tipped applicators. 



Collection of Urine. The collection of urine for bacterio- 

 logical purposes must be done by catheterization, using all 

 possible surgical precautions as to genitalia, hands, and instru- 

 ments. The urine must be allowed to fall from the end of 

 the catheter directly into a bottle or test-tube sterilized with 

 a raw cotton plug, the plug being removed when the col- 

 lection is ready and held carefully, so that the part which 

 fits into the tube touches nothing. This is best held by 

 an assistant during catheterization, so that it will not be 

 contaminated. 



Collection of Feces. The best method of collecting feces 

 is to have them passed directly into a sterilized Mason jar. 

 This, however, is not always practicable, and they may be 

 received in a thoroughly cleansed bed-pan or chamber and 

 transferred afterward to the Mason jar by pouring or by a 

 pair of forceps sterilized by passing through a flame. The 

 cleansing of the receptacle should be done by soap and water, 

 alcohol, and sterile water. 



