A manifold for connection to a medical/surgical waste collection unit, the waste collection unit having a receiver for receiving the manifold, said manifold comprising: a housing (158, 164) defining a void space, said housing including: at least one fitting for receiving a suction line that defines a fluid communications path into the void space; a base that is the proximal end of the housing; and an outlet opening formed in the housing base, through which fluid can flow from the void space, the outlet opening being dimensioned to receive a fitting integral with the receiver; and a drip stop (174, 174a) fitted to the housing outlet opening, the drip stop having: a base (176, 176a) with inner surfaces (180, 182, 184, 186; 272, 274, 276); and a valve (187, 190) disposed over the outlet opening that is normally closed to block fluid flow out of the housing outlet opening and is positioned to be actuated by a receiver fitting so that, upon the seating of the fitting in the outlet opening, the fitting opens the valve; characterized in that: the housing (158, 164) is further formed to have a lip that extends downwardly from the housing base and that extends around and is spaced radially away from the housing outlet opening; the drip stop base (176, 176a) is formed to have a slot (178, 178a) around its outer perimeter, wherein the drip stop (174, 174a) seats in the housing outlet opening so that the perimeter section of the housing base that defines the housing outlet opening seats in the drip stop base slot (178, 178a) and the section of the drip stop base (176, 176a) in a direction outwardly away from the housing void space relative to the slot defining section seats inside a space defined by said housing lip and is formed to have at least one tapered surface (180, 182, 184; 272) that extends from a proximal end of said drip stop base and extends radially inwardly to an inner surface (186; 274) that has a diameter less than the diameter of the at least one tapered surface; and said valve (187, 190) or said drip stop base inner surface is further shaped to function as a seal between the housing (158, 164) and the receiver fitting when the fitting is inserted in the housing outlet opening. a housing (158, 164) defining a void space, said housing including: at least one fitting for receiving a suction line that defines a fluid communications path into the void space; a base that is the proximal end of the housing; and an outlet opening formed in the housing base, through which fluid can flow from the void space, the outlet opening being dimensioned to receive a fitting integral with the receiver; and a drip stop (174, 174a) fitted to the housing outlet opening, the drip stop having: a base (176, 176a) with inner surfaces (180, 182, 184, 186; 272, 274, 276); and a valve (187, 190) disposed over the outlet opening that is normally closed to block fluid flow out of the housing outlet opening and is positioned to be actuated by a receiver fitting so that, upon the seating of the fitting in the outlet opening, the fitting opens the valve; characterized in that: the housing (158, 164) is further formed to have a lip that extends downwardly from the housing base and that extends around and is spaced radially away from the housing outlet opening; the drip stop base (176, 176a) is formed to have a slot (178, 178a) around its outer perimeter, wherein the drip stop (174, 174a) seats in the housing outlet opening so that the perimeter section of the housing base that defines the housing outlet opening seats in the drip stop base slot (178, 178a) and the section of the drip stop base (176, 176a) in a direction outwardly away from the housing void space relative to the slot defining section seats inside a space defined by said housing lip and is formed to have at least one tapered surface (180, 182, 184; 272) that extends from a proximal end of said drip stop base and extends radially inwardly to an inner surface (186; 274) that has a diameter less than the diameter of the at least one tapered surface; and said valve (187, 190) or said drip stop base inner surface is further shaped to function as a seal between the housing (158, 164) and the receiver fitting when the fitting is inserted in the housing outlet opening. the housing (158, 164) is further formed to have a lip that extends downwardly from the housing base and that extends around and is spaced radially away from the housing outlet opening; the drip stop base (176, 176a) is formed to have a slot (178, 178a) around its outer perimeter, wherein the drip stop (174, 174a) seats in the housing outlet opening so that the perimeter section of the housing base that defines the housing outlet opening seats in the drip stop base slot (178, 178a) and the section of the drip stop base (176, 176a) in a direction outwardly away from the housing void space relative to the slot defining section seats inside a space defined by said housing lip and is formed to have at least one tapered surface (180, 182, 184; 272) that extends from a proximal end of said drip stop base and extends radially inwardly to an inner surface (186; 274) that has a diameter less than the diameter of the at least one tapered surface; and said valve (187, 190) or said drip stop base inner surface is further shaped to function as a seal between the housing (158, 164) and the receiver fitting when the fitting is inserted in the housing outlet opening.