Abstract: This apparatus involves an assembly of a test tube and paddle insert. The tube has a frustoconical body and a tapered tip in which is a well, having opposed tapered wide flat walls and narrow walls. The paddle insert has a long handle integral with a transparent tapered paddle head that is shorter than the tapered well in which the paddle head seats. Flexible fingers extend away from the head to frictionally engage the narrow walls of the well and prevent the paddle from falling out of the tube when the tube is inverted or tipped. A ridge on the edges of the side walls and the back of the paddle head retains a specimen in a narrow chamber defined between adjacent walls of the tube tip, the paddle head and the ridge for microscopic examination thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus for microscopic examination of a specimen includes a cylindrical test tube having a well, defined by closely spaced transparent flat walls at the closed end of the tube. A paddle-shaped insert has transparent insertable flat sided body at one end insertable into the well with a long stem extending out of the open end of the tube. The thickness of the body is slightly less than the spacing of walls of the well to spread specimen therein between and to support the specimen when the apparatus is placed in or on a microscope for examination of the specimen.