1. A rapid and sensitive semi-micro method for the determination of hippuric acid formation by tissue samples in vitro is described and applied to the determination of the post-mortem survival of hippuric acid formation in rat and human cadaver tissue samples. 2. Hippuric acid formation survived in rat and human cadaver liver for at least 72 h when corpses were stored at 4 degrees. 3. Hippuric acid formation was detected in human cadaver liver and kidney samples and was absent from brain, intestine, heart and lung. 4. Post-mortem liver samples from a case of acute pancreatitis failed to form hippuric acid as did kidney samples from a case of systemic lupus erythematosus with renal involvement.