HYGIENE AND SANITATION 29 
POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION 
The first step in making an autopsy on a bird is to examine 
carefully the exterior of the carcass for lesions of the diseases 
which exhibit external manifestations. The skin may show the 
presence of lice, mites or epithelial tumors. The head may be the 
seat of bird pox nodules, favus, or swelling due to roup. The skin 
of the head may present a pale appearance as in infectious leu- 
kemia, fowl typhoid, coccidiosis and tuberculosis or a congested or 
darkened appearance as in cholera, enteritis, pneumonia and in- 
fectious entero-hepatitis. Exudates of diphtheria may be observed 
in the mouth. Swellings of the joints of the wing or legs may in- 
dicate tuberculosis or gout. Evidence of diarrhea should be looked 
for on the feathers surrounding the vent. The general condition 
of nourishment of the bird is determined by palpation, especially in 
the breast region. 
In preparation for the examination of the internal organs it is 
best to pluck the feathers from the under surface of the body from 
the base of the neck to the vent and well up on each side of the body 
beneath the wings. The carcass is then stretched back downward 
over a table or board and held in position by cords attached to’each 
leg and to the neck near the head. The other ends of the three 
cords are tied at the sides and one end of the table or board. An- 
other method of holding the carcass in position is to nail each 
foot and the neck to the board. Those who have occasion to make 
frequent autopsies find it convenient to lay the bird out on a shal- 
low, rectangular, flat bottomed tin pan fitted with eyelets on the 
sides and ends for the reception of cords tied to the feet and neck 
of the carcass. The pan serves to retain fluids, intestinal contents, 
etc., which may escape during the autopsy, and also is easily cleaned 
and disinfected. 
The internal organs are exposed by making an incision through 
the skin and body wall on either side of the breast near the base 
of the wing and continuing it along the side to the vent and then 
forward to a point opposite the beginning of the incision. The 
ribs may be cut through with a knife at the cartilaginous articula- 
tion between the superior and inferior ribs or they may be severed 
by means of a pair of scissors or bone forceps. The breast bone 
and abdominal wall can be removed by cutting through the bones 
of the shoulder girdle at the entrance to the chest with bone forceps. 
