A drum type container (10, 10', 10") for analytical elements, comprising: a casing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said casing defining a plurality of compartment portions extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second ends (30, 32) for receiving respective ones of a plurality of analytical elements, said casing further including a number of detents radially spaced about the longitudinal axis that extend into said second end in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and a base assembly mounted to said second end of said casing so that said casing is rotatable relative to said base assembly about said longitudinal axis, wherein said base assembly includes a dispenser mechanism movable between said base assembly and said casing to dispense an analytical element from said respective compartment portion and a locking mechanism releasably engaged to at least one of said detents when said at least one detent is aligned with said locking mechanism, wherein said detents and said locking mechanism are arranged so that said locking mechanism normally projects from said base assembly along said longitudinal axis to engage at least one of said detents and maintain said base assembly and said casing in position relative to one another with said dispenser mechanism aligned with one of said plurality of compartment portions, at least a portion of said dispenser mechanism being movable through said second end of said casing to contact the analytical element in said aligned compartment portion to displace the analytical element through said first end of said casing. a casing extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and an opposite second end, said casing defining a plurality of compartment portions extending along said longitudinal axis between said first and second ends (30, 32) for receiving respective ones of a plurality of analytical elements, said casing further including a number of detents radially spaced about the longitudinal axis that extend into said second end in the direction of said longitudinal axis; and a base assembly mounted to said second end of said casing so that said casing is rotatable relative to said base assembly about said longitudinal axis, wherein said base assembly includes a dispenser mechanism movable between said base assembly and said casing to dispense an analytical element from said respective compartment portion and a locking mechanism releasably engaged to at least one of said detents when said at least one detent is aligned with said locking mechanism, wherein said detents and said locking mechanism are arranged so that said locking mechanism normally projects from said base assembly along said longitudinal axis to engage at least one of said detents and maintain said base assembly and said casing in position relative to one another with said dispenser mechanism aligned with one of said plurality of compartment portions, at least a portion of said dispenser mechanism being movable through said second end of said casing to contact the analytical element in said aligned compartment portion to displace the analytical element through said first end of said casing.