Abstract: A pill crushing syringe is disclosed which includes a barrel and a plunger, with abraded surfaces on each so that a pill placed in the barrel is crushed as the plunger advances within the barrel. The barrel has an aperture located near the closed end with a catheter connected around and extending from the aperture. The plunger has a sealing gland to provide an airtight seal with the barrel so that liquid may be drawn into the barrel through the aperture by withdrawing the plunger from the barrel to thereby suspend the crushed pill in the liquid, and the suspension may be flushed from the barrel by thereafter advancing the plunger into the barrel. In an alternative embodiment, a bi-level barrel has an aperture in spaced relation to the closed end forming a pocket wherein the crushed pill ingredients accumulate. The pocket at the closed end and the separation between the aperture and the barrel closed end helps prevent the medication from escaping the barrel via the catheter prior to aspiration.

Abstract: A pill crushing syringe includes a barrel and a plunger, with abraded surfaces on each so that a pill placed in the barrel is crushed as the plunger advances within the barrel. The barrel has an aperture located near the closed end with a catheter connected around and extending from the aperture. The plunger has a sealing gland to provide an airtight seal with the barrel so that liquid may be drawn into the barrel through the aperture by withdrawing the plunger from the barrel to thereby suspend the crushed pill in the liquid, and the suspension may be flushed from the barrel by thereafter advancing the plunger into the barrel.

Abstract: A lock for a syringe which typically may be used with an aspirating biopsy needle. A malleable sheet defining a central, cutaway portion extending through the edge of the sheet and having foldable tabs positioned on the outer edge of the sheet is carried on a syringe barrel and may be used to lock the syringe plunger in a predetermined position. Thus a vacuum may be drawn in the syringe by the plunger with the plunger then being locked to provide suction to the aspirating biopsy needle.

Abstract: A method of providing a specimen section embedded in a section of paraffin wax includes providing a mold having a cover and upper and lower portions with a body of solidified paraffin wax therein, heating the paraffin wax while in the mold until it becomes molten, removing the cover of the mold, placing a specimen in the liquid paraffin in the lower mold portion, cooling the paraffin until it becomes a hardened body, and removing the lower mold portion to provide a hardened block of paraffin secured to the upper mold portion with a lower end portion extending below the lower end of the upper mold portion and containing the embedded specimen. The upper mold portion with the paraffin block is disposed within a microtome so that one or more slices of the hardened paraffin block may be cut therefrom to provide a slice of the block which includes a section of the embedded specimen.

Abstract: An autotransfusion set includes a housing having a blood filtering and defoaming chamber connected to receive blood from a patient, and a blood reservoir connected to receive blood from the chamber and having an outlet for returning the blood to the patient, the blood normally being returned under pressure to increase the rate of infusion. A pressure relief valve is connected to the housing which has discrete, selectable pressure settings to limit the pressure within the chamber to a desired value. A float valve is disposed in the reservoir for closing it to the outlet when the blood level reaches a predetermined minimum level so as to preclude the infusion of air emboli to the patient, and for opening the reservoir to the outlet after the blood level has risen above the minimum level in order to reestablish infusion.