Ampoule

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An ampoule (also ampule) is a small glass sealed vial which is used to contain or preserve a fluid.

[edit] Historically

Historically ampoules were used to contain a small sample of a person's blood after death, which was entombed alongside them in many Christian catacombs. It was originally believed that only martyrs were given this burial treatment, but many believe that it was a widely-practised tradition.

[edit] Modern usage

Modern ampoules are most commonly used to contain pharmaceutical hypodermic solutions. They are hermetically sealed by melting the thin top with an open flame, and are designed with a scoring around the neck so the sealed vial top may be snapped off cleanly by hand. After opening the ampoule, the solution is filtered to remove any glass fragments which may have fallen in the solution when the ampoule was opened.