303 MEDICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



The animals should be fed regularly, weighed at the same hour 

 each day and the temperature taken at the rectum. 



Post Mortem Examination. 



Perform the autopsy as soon as possible after death. When 

 delay cannot be avoided, place the animal ia the ice-chest until such 

 time as is convenient. 

 A. 



a. Inspect externally and note presence and character of any 

 lesion. 



b. Sterilize a suitable post-mortem board with corrosive sub- 

 limate solution, 1 to 1000, place the animal belly upwards and 

 tack the four legs fast to the board. 



c. Wash the surface of the thorax and abdomen with corro- 

 sive sublimate solution, make an incision through the skin at 

 the pubis, introducing one blade of the scissors, and extend the 

 incision as far as the chin. 



d. Carefully dissect the skin away from the abdomen, thorax, 

 axillary, inguinal, and cervical regions, and fore and hind legs, 

 and pin it to the board as far as possible from the thorax and 

 abdomen. It is from the skin that the chances of contamination 

 are greatest. 



B. All incisions from now on are made with sterilized instruments. 



a. Take an ordinary potato-knife, heat it quite hot, and place 

 it on the abdomen in the region of the linea alba until the fascia 

 begins to burn; the knife is then held transversely to this line 

 over the center of the abdomen, making two sterilized tracks 

 through which the abdomen may be opened by crucial incisions ; 

 two burned lines are also made along the sides of the thorax. 



b. Make a central longitudinal incision from the sternum to 

 the genitalia with sterile scissors, the abdominal wall being held 

 up with sterilized forceps, or a hook, to prevent the viscera being 

 injured. A transverse incision is made in a similar manner. 

 Cut through the ribs with strong sterilized scissors along the 

 sterilized tracks on the sides of the thorax, when the whole ante- 

 rior wall of the thorax is easily lifted and entirely removed by 

 severing the diaphragm connections. 



c. When the thoracic and abdominal cavities are fully exposed, 

 a careful examination of the organs and surroundings is made 

 without disturbing them. 



Plates (Petri-dishes) or roll cultures are prepared from the 

 blood, liver, spleen, kidneys, and from any exudates present. 



