Syringe with writing surface

Claim 1

A hypodermic syringe comprising an elongated substantially non-flexible barrel having wall structure defining a bore adapted to receive a plunger, said barrel being substantially closed at one end and open at the other end, means on said substantially closed end for mounting a hollow needle, an enlarged flange integrally formed on said barrel adjacent the open end, said flange having at least one substantially flat portion located adjacent to said barrel and extending laterally thereof for engaging a substantially level surface, indicia fixed on said barrel and extending longitudinally thereof for indicating the volume of the contents within the same, a roughened writing surface integrally formed on the exterior of said barrel generally opposite the flat portion of said flange, said writing surface extending substantially axially of said barrel adjacent to said indicia, whereby when the flat portion of said flange is placed in engagement with a supporting surface, said barrel is stabilized so that indicia identifying the contents can be written on said writing surface and can be observed without handling the syringe.