Allow to dry in the air. No further treatment of the slide is necessary if it is for studying normal blood constituents e.g. erythrocytes and leucocytes, but the slide must be kept absolutely dry and packed carefully, to avoid scratching and damage to the smear. Where bacteriology is required e.g. suspected Anthrax cases, fix the smear by passing the slide over a bunsen flame so that the heat of the slide bottom is just bearable to the back of the hand. Blood samples should be collected at the time of sticking. Collect in plain 'vacutainers' or equivalent evacuated tubes available from the regional office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Leucocytes deteriorate rapidly in anti-coagulant treated blood.
If haematological examination is required send a separate blood smear, not fixed. For bacteriological examination - collect 20 ml aseptically. Leptospires disintegrate rapidly in unpreserved urine. 150 mm in length. Send the corresponding mesenteric nodes in a separate specimen jar.