Abstract: A unitary assembly of biological specimen support articles, arranged in a stack in which successive articles are secured in positional sequence by a tape. The tape in one embodiment is of loop form, e.g., folded back on itself with a first portion detachably adhesively secured to the stack and with the second portion back-folded over the first portion and extending beyond the stack in a free end that may be manually grasped to peel away the tape from the stack, when the stack is placed in a dispensing hopper with the free end accessed for manual grasping thereof. By stripping the tape from the stack after the stack is positioned in the dispensing hopper, the component support articles, e.g., tissue cassettes or microscope slides, are freed for subsequent dispensing and use.

Abstract: A storage and dispensing container for slides useful in mounting tissue samples for histological analysis, comprising a cover and a receptacle portion, wherein the receptacle portion comprises a floor and a circumscribing wall forming with the floor a receptacle cavity for holding an array of slides therein, the circumscribing wall including opposing wall portions having cut-outs therein exposing portions of faces of slides in the array of slides reposed in the receptacle cavity, wherein the receptacle portion is sized and constructed so that a user can grasp the array of slides with opposing digits contacting the portions of faces of slides in the array through the cut-outs, thereby facilitating handling of the slides.