Abstract: A bowl for temporarily storing a coiled wire to be used to guide a catheter into the heart of a patient includes a plurality of angularly spaced lugs projecting inwardly from the inner surface thereof at a location near the vertical center of the bowl to define a space therebelow for receiving the coiled wire. When the bowl is filled with heparin solution up to the level of these lugs and the coiled wire is placed therein below the lugs, it is effectively retained against accidental emergence above the solution and is also protected against accidental kinking when it is withdrawn past the lugs for use. Special provision is made for facilitating the nesting of a plurality of the bowls for shipment or storage while protecting against damage of any of the lugs by the nesting of one bowl in another.