A decrease in the posttransfusion survival of CW1labeled rabbit erythrocytes obtained postmortem became more pronounced as the time after death increased. This effect became proportionately greater when rabbit cadavers were maintained at 57C, as compared with 4 C or ZOC, prior to the procurement of blood for survival studies. Decreased survival of normal control cells incubated with postmortem plasma or subjected to anoxia for eight hours was not observed. The following postmortem changes in blood were observed: increase in red cell osmotic fragility, alteration of morphology with appearance of spherocytes and crenated cells, increased plasma hemoglobin, decrease in pH and intracellular ATP. These changes became more marked as the time interval between death and blood collection increased. Normal and postmortem specimens possessed equivalent antigenicity as judged by immunization experiments in rats.