Abstract: A unit in the form of a bubble pack for creating an anaerobic gaseous atmosphere in a bag and for indicating the presence of the anaerobic atmosphere in the bag. One bubble of the pack houses an acid-containing ampoule and also houses tablets which generate hydrogen and carbon dioxide when activated by squeezing the bubble to crush the ampoule and release the acid. Another bubble communicates with the first bubble by way of a tunnel-like bubble and serves as an expansion chamber for the gas and the released acid. Gas flows from the expansion bubble into the bag and enters still another bubble which houses an ampoule containing a redox color indicating liquid. When the latter ampoule is crushed, the liquid moistens an absorbent pad which changes colors as the atmosphere of the bag changes from aerobic to anaerobic.

Abstract: A culture collecting swab and a sealed glass ampoule packaged end to end in an envelope and initially are held in an assembled condition by a resiliently yieldable closure member which is carried on the end of the stem of the swab and which includes a cup portion snugly telescoped on one end portion of the ampoule. After a culture has been collected on the tip of the swab, the ampoule is broken open along a score line inside the cup portion of the closure member, the end portion broken off the ampoule being retained in the cup portion. The tip and end of the swab are then inserted into the ampoule through the open end thereof to immerse the tip in a culture-sustaining media and, as an incident to this, a plug portion on the closure member enters and closes the open end of the ampoule.

Abstract: A culture collecting swabbing tip is carried on one end portion of a small diameter flexible wire which enables the tip to reach into a curved and narrow body passage. A sleeve-type handle is telescoped slidably onto the other end portion of the wire and enables the effective length of the wire to be adjusted so that the wire can fit into an outer transport tube but can be effectively lengthened to reach into a long body passage. The transport tube contains a glass ampoule which may be broken to moisten the swabbing tip with a culture-sustaining transport media after a culture has been collected on the tip.

Abstract: A fluid dispensing unit having a housing in which is carried a fluid-containing ampoule and a porous pad secured to the underside of the housing has its structural integrity enhanced by a central planar depression formation in the housing top wall to thereby facilitate rupturing the ampoule without hazard of broken glass puncturing the housing walls. An improved porous pad structure also is provided.