Abstract: An irrigation/aspiration pump system capable of operating in a plurality of different modes suitable for a variety of different endoscopic surgical procedures. The irrigation/aspiration pump system operates with a selected one of a plurality of tubing sets, each tubing set being adapted to provide irrigation and aspiration for a particular surgical procedure and coded to define the type of procedure for which the tubing set is designed. Each tubing set is adapted to be received by the irrigation/aspiration pump console in a way which enables the code associated with the tubing cassette to be automatically read by a code detecting means associated with the system. The code detecting means supplies appropriate control signals to different parts of the irrigation/aspiration pump system in order to assure that the parameters with which the system will be operating, when the chosen tubing set is being used, are those for which the tubing set is designed.

Abstract: Cosmetic pencils having cores consisting of water-set mixtures of plaster of paris, mica or other laminar material and pigment or color are disclosed. The mixtures are between 30 wgt % and 75 wgt % plaster of paris. The pencils may be made either by pouring water-based slurries of the mixtures into hollow pencil cases, or by introducing pre-formed cores into two-part cases which are subsequently secured together. The pencils can be easily sharpened and may contain a wide range of additives such as preservatives and bacterioistats.