(1) Give a =general description= of the body; apparent age, height, and weight of the individual; color of the hair and eyes; condition of the teeth; and the evidence of any personal peculiarities or abnormalities. (2) Note the =color of the skin= and observe whether there are any spots of CADAVERIC LIVIDITY, and if present where situated. (3) =Contusions.=—Note whether there are any contusions, and, if present, their character, situation, length, breadth, and depth should be described, and whether they are accompanied by inflammation or by the evidences of gangrene. It is often important to determine whether a contusion has been inflicted before or after death. This is to be done by cutting into the ecchymoses and if the extravasated blood or the coloring matter of the blood is found free in the tissues, one can be almost certain that it is an ante-mortem injury. In post-mortem discolorations the blood is found in the congested vessels. The situation of ante-mortem contusions will not generally correspond to the discolorations produced by decomposition; the latter being confined to the most dependent parts. It should be remembered that the contusions produced by blows on a body dead only a few hours cannot be distinguished from those which were received during life; and also that putrefactive changes make it well-nigh impossible to distinguish between ante-mortem and post-mortem injuries. It should also be borne in mind that blows or falls sufficient to fracture bones or rupture organs may leave no mark on the skin (see WOUNDS, Vol. I., pp. 467, 474, _et seq._). (4) =Wounds.=—The situation, depth, extent, and direction of any wound should be recorded, as also the condition of its edges; the changes in the surrounding tissues, and whether inflicted by a cutting, pointed, or rounded instrument; or by a bullet. In the latter case the course and direction of the ball should be ascertained by dissection rather than by the use of the probe, and the character of foreign bodies, if any are found in the wound, should be noted. What nerves or blood-vessels, particularly arteries, have been injured, should be ascertained. It is often important to determine whether a wound was made before or after death. The following may serve as a differential point: In all wounds made after death there is slight bleeding, non-contraction of the edges, and absence of blood in the tissues. This is the opposite of ante-mortem wounds. Again, wounds inflicted within two hours after death cannot be differentiated from those made during life (see GUNSHOT WOUNDS, Vol. I., p. 610 _et seq._; WOUNDS, Vol. I., p. 476 _et seq._).