Patent ID: 8758707

Claim:
An instrument for applying reagents to a group of microscope slides arranged into a plurality of batches, the instrument comprising: a plurality of slide supports supporting one of the plurality of batches; a first set of one or more reagent containers; a second set of one or more reagent containers; a group fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid drawn from one or more reagent containers of the first set of reagent containers onto any of the microscope slides the group of microscope slides; and a batch fluid dispenser for dispensing fluid drawn from one or more reagent containers of the second set of reagent containers onto any of the microscope slides in a corresponding one of the batches of microscope slides, wherein the batch fluid dispenser is configured to dispense the fluid drawn from one or more reagent containers of the second set of reagent containers on a first slide in the corresponding batch of the plurality of batches at the same time that the group dispenser dispenses the fluid from one or more reagent containers of the first set of reagent containers on a second slide of the group of microscope slides.