Cytologic endocrine evaluation device

Claim 1

AN INSTRUMENT FOR COLLECTING SURFACE TISSUE CELLS FROM VAGINAL WALLS FOR CYTOLOGICAL ENDOCRINE EVALUATION, COMPRISING: (A) A TUBE HAVING A CLOSED FRONT END PORTION ADAPTED TO HOLD A QUANTITY OF A SPECIMEN SUSPENDING SOLUTION, AND OF A SIZE AND SHAPE TO BE READILY INSERTED INTO THE VAGINA, SAID TUBE HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING THROUGH ITS SIDE WALL AT A DISTANCE FROM ITS CLOSED FRONT END, THROUGH WHICH THE ADJACENT PORTION OF THE VAGINAL WALL PROTRUDES UPON INSERTION OF THE TUBE INTO THE VAGINA; (B) PLUNGER MEANS IN THE TUBE, SAID PLUNGER MEANS BEING FREELY SLIDEABLE BACK AND FORTH IN THE TUBE AND HAVING A PART THEREON PROJECTING FROM THE TUBE AND BY WHICH THE PLUNGER MEANS MAY BE RECIPROCATED; AND (C) RIDGE MEANS ON THE PLUNGER MEANS TO MOVE PAST THE OPENING IN THE SIDE WALL OF THE TUBE AND INTO THE SPECIMEN SUSPENDING SOLUTION CONTAINED IN THE TUBE, WHEREBY TISSUE CELLS MAY BE SCRAPED OFF THE INWARDLY PROTRUDING VAGINAL WALL PORTION AND DEPOSITED IN SAID SOLUTION.