=The Preliminary Preparations= at the place of the operation should consist in providing a sponge for absorbing fluids; newspapers and old cloths for filling cavities or wrapping up any morbid specimen that it may be desirable to preserve; a couple of quarts of clean sawdust or wheaten bran for throwing into the cavities before closing them up, and thus absorbing any excess of fluids; stout thread or twine for tying intestines and closing the cavities; lard or sweet oil for oiling the hands; a couple of empty slopbuckets for receiving the fluids, bloody water, &c., and plenty of water, hot and cold, with towels and soap. If the floor of the room is carpeted, to protect it from accident, a piece of old carpet, or quilt, or oilcloth should be spread alongside the table or box where the examination is made. Care should be observed to have all these matters provided before the operation is commenced, when the door should be fastened, that there may be no intrusion, by accident or otherwise. In preparing the body for examination, if the head is to be opened and the body is in an ice-box, it will be absolutely necessary that it be removed. Placing the cover of the box on the floor, the body may be lifted out and placed on the same, when both may be again placed on the top of the box or on a table, for the examination. If only the chest and abdomen are to be examined, it will hardly be necessary to lift the body from the box. In all cases, the sheet in which the body is placed, with the underclothing, (the latter having been split down the centre,) should be carefully turned aside, and care observed during the operation to avoid as much as possible soiling them with blood-stains. =Precautionary Measures.= That there is a certain amount of danger from absorption of virus in case of cuts or scratches received while conducting a post-mortem examination, cannot be denied; yet this danger is by no means common to every case. In the great majority of instances, probably no mischief whatever would follow such an accident, the danger being confined almost wholly to cases of peritoneal inflammation, erysipelas, and certain malignant forms of disease. In all cases, however, it will be well to look for any scratch, cut, or abraded point on the hands or fingers, and first touching them with nitrate of silver, cover them finally with collodian. Smearing the hands well with lard or olive oil will also aid much in preventing absorption.