Integral specimen collection tube and microscope slide device

Claim 1

An integral collection tube and microscope slide device for automatically preparing a specimen for viewing through a microscope by the centrifugation of a collected sample of body fluid, said device comprising in combination: (a) a generally upright tubular container, flattened along a rear side thereof and having means defining a generally central specimen collection space, the tubular container having a generally central longitudinal axis aligned with the central collection space, an open upper end communicating with said space, and a lower container end, said container further having a generally flat, planar wall portion with an exterior surface extending longitudinally along the flattened rear side of the container from said open upper end to said lower container end and continuing along a microscope slide member disposed therebelow; and (b) said microscope slide member disposed below and integral with said container and having flat optically transparent front and rear walls throughout at least a portion thereof and defining a shallow central cavity therebetween constructed to hold a specimen for microscope inspection, said front and rear walls being spatially separated to define a predetermined thickness of said cavity, said rear wall extending continuously from, and having an exterior surface coplanar with, the exterior surface of said flat planar wall portion of said container, the slide member front wall being closely adjacent said rear wall and parallel thereto to limit the thickness of said central cavity in order to facilitate optical viewing through a microscope of a specimen contained therein, said cavity being in communication with said specimen collection space through said lower end of said container, said container being constructed for use as a centrifugation tube and as a permanent handle for manipulation of said microscope slide member.