Holding a Post- Mortem. 12.3 



kept; the digestive tube should be examined for ruptures, 

 enlargements of the blood vessels, redness or blackness 

 (signs of inflammation), stoppages, and worms, the lat- 

 ter may be in the bowel walls (e. g., sheep). 



The spleen, which is attached to the stomach, should 

 be examined; it should be somewhat elastic, retaining 

 the imprint of a finger, and be of a violet blue color, ap - 

 proaching to red; it usually weighs about two pounds. 



The pancreas may be overlooked unless one is careful ; 

 it is somewhat triangular in shape, weighing about one 

 pound; is of a reddish cream color. 



The kidneys weigh 27 and 25 ounces, the right being 

 the heavier, are reddish brown in color, those of cattle 

 are lobulated. The liver in horses weighs about 11 

 pounds, and is of a solid brown color, and is very friable, 

 being easily crushed by the fingers. If the venous cir- 

 culation has been impeded in the heart and lungs, the 

 center of each lobule will be red, the margins yellow or 

 green in color, this is the usual appearance after death. 

 If there has been active liver congestion the liver will 

 appear mottled; if, however, there has been active in- 

 flammation of the liver it will be red in color. Kb gall 

 bladder will be found in the horse. The head and neck 

 should be examined, looking at the thyroid glands, the 

 teeth and nostrils. 



The sexual and urinary organs should be looked over 

 for stone in the bladder, etc., pus in the kidneys or uterus 

 (womb). 



The lungs and heart should now be carefully examined, 

 note the condition of the pericardium (the outside cov- 

 ering of the heart), and then the heart itself, pointed 



