Order and cleanliness should characterize the autopsy. Abundance of
water should be at hand, and after every incision the knife should
be dipped into a vessel of water standing on the autopsy table.
Practically all cuts should be made with a _clean wet_ knife; only
in the case of the chief-incisions of the large organs is it of
advantage to cut with a _clean dry_ knife, when it is desirable to
obtain a judgment of the moistness or dryness of the cut surface.
Never cut with a dirty knife, as the cut-surface may be obscured.
A gentle scraping with the knife-blade often gives a more distinct
picture of the cut surface. The water-stream should not be used too
freely upon cut surfaces; it should be employed only when there is
so much blood or fluid that the surfaces are obscured, or when it
is desired to float up certain tissues or parts of organs. A better
picture of the cut-surface can sometimes be obtained by blotting it
with absorbent paper free from lint. Organs and tissues removed from
the cadaver should not be allowed to dry. Nor should they be left in
water. Both conditions will quickly ruin material in so far as its
after-use for microscopic study is concerned. They should be kept
covered with moist cloth or paper. As the organs are removed from
the body they may be quickly dipped into water and quickly rinsed,
but beyond this the use of water is not advisable.
Blood and fluids within the cavities of the body should be quickly
removed as soon as their character is determined. Stomach and
intestinal fluids in particular should not be allowed to escape
within the body-cavities. They should not be washed out, but removed
by the aid of beakers and sponges. Drops of blood or other fluids
upon the surface of the cadaver should be removed before they become
dry. All respect should be paid to the dead body. The face and hair
should be covered after they have been examined; and great care
should be taken to prevent any accidental cuts on the surface; and
the entire field of operation as well as the autopsy-table must be
kept clean. In private practice the external genitals should be kept
covered except for their examination. An abundance of large sponges
and a gently-flowing stream of water under low pressure permit a
clean and orderly autopsy. The use of a hose with water under high
pressure is dangerous because of the accidental spattering that
is sure to occur. Blood and fluids from a dead body should not be
spattered about because of the great danger of spreading infection.
When accidents do happen prompt cleaning up and disinfection should
be carried out. Particularly in private practice is it of the
greatest importance that no blood-stains be left behind.
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