Abstract: Apparatus for processing solid waste includes a chamber for receiving the waste, which may be any contaminated or non-contaminated waste including paper, plastics, cloth, metal and hospital sharps, and a ram for forcing the waste, to which germicide may be added, into contact with a plurality of cutting heads. The cutting heads which shred, shear and cut the waste are each mounted on an elongated rotating shaft. Each cutting head includes a plurality of parallel cutting blades separated by spacers. Adjacent cutting heads mesh together so that cutting blades of one cutting head interdigitate with spacers of an adjacent cutting head. A pair of curved doors close the chamber closely adjacent the cutting heads while the waste is being cut, and are opened for releasing the cut waste. The doors include elongated parallel grooves alternately for receiving the cutting edges of the cutting blades and for receiving the spacers.

Abstract: A container having a longitudinal passage is provided with a filter for collecting thereon cellular components having a particle size range of 5 microns or greater. Where the cellular components are to be harvested from a hostile environment such as voided urine specimen, the hostile environment is discharged, after passing through the filter, from the container through one end thereof to separate the cells from the hostile environment as soon as possible. The cellular components harvested on the filter are washed with a suitable media such as a saline solution and a nutrient preservative media, or fixative, such as by way of example formaldehyde is added to the container to assist in stabilizing the harvested cellular components on the filter. Where the cellular components are harvested from a hostile environment, a suitable closure may be added to one end of the container to close off the longitudinal passage before the preserving media is added.