Abstract: A portable baby carrier with a bed having sidewalls and two hoods which can be used alone or in conjunction with each other. Each hood is storable in a channel located in a sidewall of the carrier. The top hood extends to cover the infant's head and is made of a fabric material while the opposite end lower hood is made of a mesh net material. The mating facing edges of the two hoods zipper together to form a complete enclosure around the infant to protect the infant. Either hood may be used independent of the other.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is provided which has independent capabilities of operating as a surgical needleholder for suturing operations, and as a surgical cutting device for severing the suture thread. The instrument of the invention may be operated as a conventional needleholder and, to that end, it has a pair of jaws in which a suture needle may be securely held for the suturing operation, and it also has a usual clasp mechanism for locking the jaws in their closed position. However, in accordance with the concepts of the invention, one of the arms of the instrument is split into two co-extensive elongated sections, both being pivoted at the pivot point of the instrument. The distal end of the first section is formed into one of the jaws of the instrument, and that arm functions with the other arm of the instrument to perform the conventional needle holding function.

Abstract: A device for obtaining a culture sample from a particular location in a body passage while avoiding contamination of the sample by materials located elsewhere in the body passage includes a stiff flexible tube. A sleeve of pliant waterproof material surrounds the tube and the distal end of the sleeve is tucked into the distal end of the tube. A bag of pliant waterproof material is bonded to the outside surface of the sleeve to form a waterproof seal extending all around the sleeve, the bag enclosing the distal end of the tube and the distal end of the sleeve. The bag has a limited burst strength and is broken after the distal end has been emplaced at a particular pre-sampling level to expose the sterile sleeve that was tucked into the tube. As the tube is inserted a short distance further, the portion of the sleeve that was tucked into the tube everts out of the distal end of the tube to form a sterile curtain surrounding the distal end of the tube and protecting it from contamination.

Abstract: A device for obtaining a culture sample from a particular location in a body passage while avoiding contamination of the sample by materials located elsewhere in the body passage includes a stiff flexible tube. A sleeve of pliant waterproof material surrounds the tube and the distal end of the sleeve is tucked into the distal end of the tube. A bag of pliant waterproof material is bonded to the outside surface of the sleeve to form a waterproof seal extending all around the sleeve, the bag enclosing the distal end of the tube and the distal end of the sleeve. The bag has a limited burst strength and is broken after the distal end has been emplaced at a particular pre-sampling level to expose the sterile sleeve that was tucked into the tube. As the tube is inserted a short distance further, the portion of the sleeve that was tucked into the tube everts out of the distal end of the tube to form a sterile curtain surrounding the distal end of the tube and protecting it from contamination.