Abstract: A biological sample is evaluated by an automated apparatus that operates to identify one or more areas of interest within the sample. Each area of interest has a classifiable appearance brought about from the sample's interaction with an external influence under investigation. The apparatus classifies each area of interest by automatically resolving and identifying either the existence of an abnormal feature in that area of interest or a lack of any abnormality in that area of interest. An abnormal feature qualified as differentiable from a control reference unaffected by the external influence by at least one of: shape; area; size; and proximity to other resolved features within the area of interest. The apparatus counts incidences of abnormal features within each area of interest and automatically presents an assessment of the effect of the external influence on the sample based at least in part on the count of abnormal features.