Abstract: A breath sampling device has a body defining an interior space or bore with two open ends. The patient's breath is directed through the device from end to end, thereby continually purging the interior space. At a designated time during the breath, closure devices are actuated to shut both ends, desirably in response to a single actuation movement, thereby capturing a breath sample at a predetermined time. The continual purging action assures that the captured breath sample truly represents the breath at the designated time during the exhalation cycle.

Abstract: Self-sufficient incubation assembly for the in vitro cultivation of microorganisms such as bacteria and for being energized by a self-contained energy source, including a heater for heating means, such as a culture growth dish assembly or a cuvette, for receiving a culture growth medium seeded with microorganisms, to a physiological temperature to cultivate the microorganisms, and electrical circuitry which interconnects the heater with the energy source and which includes a temperature control element in intimate physical contact with the seeded culture growth receiving means to cause the temperature of the control element to be substantially the same as the temperature of the medium; the electrical circuit in operation produces heat and due to its intimate physical contact with the means for receiving the seeded culture growth medium supplements the heating of the medium by the heater and the supplementation reduces the total energy required to be supplied by the energy source to cultivate the microorganism