An improved card for use in an automated machine to detect the continued existence of microbes in a plurality of wells containing different media so that the organism can be speciated. The card includes an improved configuration wherein the wells have different reduced oxygen environments and all of the wells have an improved bubble chamber connected to the well by a bifurcated passage.

A disposable article of manufacture is provided which comprises a Petri-type dish which is divided into separate compartments containing culture media adapted for the rapid identification of uropathogenic bacteria and colony count determination.

A disposable apparatus is provided for sampling and identifying microorganisms. In one application of the apparatus, a throat culture is taken and pathogenic microorganisms in the culture are identified. The apparatus includes a housing having a retractable strip with a streaker or inoculating pad on the distal end thereof. An identification bar having a plurality of open-faced troughs is clamped to the housing with the open faces of the troughs in line with the streaker pad on the sampling strip. A different testing media is provided in each trough. A cap encloses the end of the housing and the streaker pad. With the cap removed, the streaker pad is swabbed over the infected area after which the strip and inoculating pad are retracted to draw the pad into the housing and over the testing media in the open-faced troughs. The strip is broken off leaving the inoculating pad in the housing. The cap is reassembled on the end of the housing. The apparatus is stored at an appropriate incubation temperature for a predetermined period of time after which the cap and the clamps are removed to release the identification bar whereupon the appropriate visual inspection and diagnosis is made of the colony or colonies that have grown on the various test media.