One may examine the cervical vertebræ by having the patient either lying down or in a sitting posture. The former position is preferable, as then the muscles of the neck are passive, and besides it is much easier to relax the muscles if such should be necessary. Also one has better control of the field of examination. It is undoubtedly best for the student when learning to examine the cervical vertebræ to first examine along the base of the skull the condition of the occipital muscles (after the patient has assumed the dorsal position upon the treating table) for any contractions; for if disorder exists in the upper five cervical vertebræ the condition will be manifested by contraction of muscular fibres along the base of the occipital bone. The muscles of the occiput are supplied by fibres from the posterior branches of the upper five pairs of spinal nerves, and if lesions exist to these upper nerves a contracted state of more or less extent of the occipital muscles will occur, no matter how slight the lesion. Thus the examiner after locating contracted fibres under the occiput has a direct clue to lesions existing somewhere in the upper five cervical vertebræ. After locating these contracted fibres of the occipital region and then still keeping the finger upon the contracted muscular fibres and following them downward until the contractions are lost and seem to enter the spinal cord, one has then located the exact point of disorder that is causing the irritation to the muscular fibres involved, and most probably the cause of the affection from which the patient is suffering, i. e., provided one has reason to suspect the trouble is in the cervical vertebræ. Simply follow the contracted muscular fibre downward until it seems to enter the spinal cord and there one will find a lesion. After the osteopath has become expert in diagnosis this will not be necessary unless he has to make a very fine diagnosis or unless he is examining a stout neck where it is hard to examine through the heavy muscles. With this method one has a firm, flat, broad surface to work on (the occipital bone) making it very easy first to locate contracted muscles and second to trace the course of contracted muscles and thus find the disorder. Otherwise the beginner is apt to get confused by trying to examine the condition of the cervical vertebræ. Later, when a student becomes more expert such a procedure will rarely be necessary only in cases that require special work in the examination. When the point of disorder has been located the diagnosis as to the exact character of the maladjustment has to be determined. The abnormal position of the vertebra, tenderness at the point involved, local contracted muscles, and limited motion are the four diagnostic points, although the temperature of the affected part as compared with the general cutaneous temperature and the state of the local vascular channels (blood and lymphatics) will occasionally be of aid.