Package for transcutaneous injection

Claim 1

A PREPARED PACKAGE FOR USE IN TRANSCUTANEOUS INJECTION, COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID BACKING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONVENIENTLY GRIPPED IN AND MANIPULATED BY THE FINGERS, SAID BACKING MEMBER HAVING THEREON A PLATE-RECEIVING BACK-UP SURFACE, A THIN PLATE HAVING A PLURALITY OF NEEDLE-LIKE SKIN PERFORATING PROJECTIONS EXTENDING FROM ONE FACE THEREOF, MEANS FIXEDLY SECURING SAID PLATE UPON SAID BACKING MEMBER WITH THE OPPOSITE FACE OF SAID THIN PLATE LYING AGAINST AND IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH SAID BACK-UP SURFACE, A DRIED, BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE ON SAID NEEDLE-LIKE PROJECTIONS, SAID NEEDLE-LIKE PROJECTIONS BEING ADAPTED SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PUNCTURE AND PENETRATE THE SKIN AT A PLURALITY OF POINTS AND TO INTRODUCE SAID BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE INTO THE BODY WHEN SAID BACKING MEMBER AND SAID PLATE ARE PRESSED BY THE FINGERS AGAINST THE SKIN, SAID BACK-UP SURFACE SERVING TO SUPPORT AND REINFORCE SAID PLATE DURING THE PENETRATION OF SAID NEEDLE-LIKE PROJECTIONS INTO THE SKIN AND THEREBY AVOID ANY TENDENCY OF SAID PLATE OF FLEX UNDESIRABLY DURING SUCH PENETRATION, AND A SUBSTANTIALLY, RIGID, IMPERFORATE PROTECTIVE COVER REMOVABLY SECURED TO SAID BACKING MEMBER AND COVERING SAID PLATE AND SAID NEEDLE-LIKE PROJECTIONS FOR PROTECTING SAID NEEDLE-LIKE PROJECTIONS AND PREVENTING CONTAMINATION OF SAID BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE PRIOR TO USE OF THE PACKAGE IN INJECTION.