AGf~ICULTURAL RESEARCH, PUSA.

190 PRACTICAL BA.CTER10LOGY
place it ill a sterile Petri dish. Other organs such as
the liver and kidneys may be similarly removed. The
ensiform cartilage is now tightly gripped with a pair
of strong forceps, and by means of a sterile pair of
strong scissors a cut is made on either side of the chest
through the costal cartilages. The sternum is raised
and pulled towards the head. The heart is now
exposed. A sterile capillary pipette, furnished with
a teat, is passed through the heart wall. Blood can
thus be withdrawn and inoculated into various media.
If the autopsy has been properly performed, it is not
necessary to sear the surface of the heart. The lungs
are then removed, using fresh instruments, by cutting
each organ free at the hilum. Care must be taken not
to open into the oesophagus if the lungs are to be
used for cultural purposes.
After the organs to be used for culture have been
removed and placed in separate Petri dishes, the
autopsy can be completed.
While the instruments are again being boiled the
naked-eye appeamnces of the organs should be studied.
For culture, the spleen gives the best results, but the
other solid viscera may be similarly used. The organ
is cut with sterile instruments and a small portion is
taken up with a stiff wire and smeared on the surface
of solid media. Liquid media are inoculated with a
small fragment of the tissue.
In conducting post-mortem examinations, various
animal diseases, such as worm infestation, coccidiosis,
pseudo-tuberculosis, etc., may be noticed, and the
worker should be familial' with their appearances.
When the animal is infected with highly pathogenic
organisms the worker must wear rubber gloves. The
animal is soaked in antiseptic solution as before, and
nailed to a rough piece of board of the appropriate
size. This board is then placed in a large enamelled
iron tray. The autopsy is carefully performed in the
usnal way. The carcase is finally covered with 10 per
cent. lysol, which flows over the board and into the
tray. The whole contents of the tray-board and