Abstract: A guidewire and a method for its manufacture, wherein at least the distal portion of the guidewire comprises an element made of a precursor of a superelastic alloy such as a Ni--Ti linear elastic alloy. The element exhibits a stress strain curve with a linear stress-strain relationship and a yield point. At room temperature to body temperature the precursor is in the martensitic phase. The distal portion of the guidewire is deformable beyond the yield point by the physician in the field to a desired set shape and exhibits resistance to kinking during insertion into the body as a result of its elasticity.

Abstract: A steerable quidewire of length in excess of the order of about 350 centimeters and sufficient for use for gastro-intestinal procedures includes an elongated body of flexible, kink-resistant material, the body having distal and proximal ends; a flexible distal tip formed of radiopaque material, fixedly jointed to the distal end of the body portion; and an elongated handle fixedly joined to the proximal end of the body. The handle, body and distal tip are formed of material and joined in a manner to transmit substantially all of an angular rotational force applied to the handle outside of a body to the distal tip within the body.

Abstract: A slide projector and a slide cassette usable therewith for projecting slides. The slide projector includes a casing having a central hub located therein. Mechanisms for illuminating and projecting slides are located within the central hub. Also located in the central hub is a slide passage oriented generally vertically. A slide receiving tray in the casing is movable with respect to the central hub and includes a plurality of radially oriented compartments for receiving projected slides. The slide cassette containing slides to be projected has a slide storage tray rotatable with respect to a housing. The housing is releasably held in a predetermined position in the casing.

Abstract: A slide projector for projecting slides transferred into and out of registry with a projection aperture solely by the force of gravity. A rotary slide tray is vertically arranged with the slides in a radial orientation, and the rotary slide tray is arranged over a central hub portion having a vertically arranged projection passage formed therein. Upon rotating the rotary slide tray, slides are permitted to radially drop from the tray by the influence of gravity into the projection passage and will be caused to back-up in the passage, since they are falling entirely through the slot and resting upon slides already in the rotary slide tray in diametrically opposed locations. A specialized slide construction, formed as a double planar slide of two individual slides arranged having like horizontal edges arranged adjacent or a single slide with a recess formed in one horizontal edge is employed.

Abstract: A slide projector for projecting slides, which may be transferred into the registry with projection aperture and out of the registry with the projection aperture, solely by the force of gravity, without the need for any mechanical slide transferring apparatus. A rotary slide tray is vertically arranged with the slides in a radial orientation, and the rotary slide tray is arranged over a central hub portion having a vertically arranged projection passage formed therein. Upon rotating the rotary slide tray, slides are permitted to radially drop from the tray by the influence of gravity into the projection passage and will be caused to back-up in the passage, since they are falling entirely through the slot and resting upon slides already in the rotary slide tray in diametrically opposed locations.