INOCULATION OF ANIMALS. 105 



extending down the fore and hind legs. Dissect away the skin 

 from the thorax, abdomen and upper parts of the legs. With 

 a knife heated in the flame, sear a broad line extending down 

 the middle of the abdomen. Through this burned surface 

 make an incision through the muscles of the abdomen. In a 

 similar manner make a transverse incision across the middle 

 of the abdomen through a burned surface. Inoculations 

 on culture-media should be made from the peritoneal cavity, 

 cover-glass preparations which are afterwards to be stained 

 should be made by smears from various tissue juices. With 

 a hot knife, scorch a small area on the surface of the liver; 

 through this surface enter the liver with a sterilized platinum 

 wire, and with the material thus obtained inoculate the tubes; 

 also make cover-glass preparations. In the same manner inoc- 

 ulate tubes and make cover-glass preparations from the spleen, 

 the kidneys, the pleural cavity, the pericardial cavity, the 

 lungs, and the blood inside the heart and other organs as indi- 

 cated. If there is a question of the tissues from which the 

 cultures are to be made having become contaminated, as might 

 be the case where the autopsy is delayed for any reason, it is 

 better to make plate cultures in Petri dishes as described on page 

 96. All incisions are to be made through the burned surfaces, 

 and all material used for inoculation is to be obtained through 

 burned surfaces. In sterilizing the instruments in the flame 

 avoid sputtering, especially when they become covered with 

 oil from adipose tissue. Pieces of lung, liver, spleen, kidney and 

 other organs, as may be indicated, should be placed in 95 per 

 cent, alcohol or 10 per cent, formalin for fixation and hardening. 

 The animal and the board on which it was extended should be 

 covered with bichloride of mercury solution i-iooo, and 

 afterward burned. The cage or jar and the instruments, dishes 

 and towels used should be sterilized by steam. The hands of 

 the operator should be washed thoroughly with soap and water 

 and with a i-iooo solution of bichloride of mercury, if there 



