Abstract: A human female cervical specimen gathering device is disclosed which can be self administered by women. This device is an improvement over conventional cervical tissue sampling, which requires a speculum examination, and prior self-sampling devices, which are not compatible with thin-prep cytology easily adaptable to existing pap-smear technology, for thin smear cytology (automated or manual) microbial cultures and assays such as polymer-chain-reaction assays for human papilloma virus. The device consists of a cardboard tube that houses a retractable sponge. The handle is adapted to allow it to serve as a screw-cap lid, once the device is inserted into a conical tube containing fixative or preservative. After transport to the lab the tube can easily be agitated to liberate cells, centrifuged, and prepared as a thin smear for cytology or DNA probes.