A self-contained apparatus using a gravitationally encouraged,
interrupted, downward, diffusive and programmed flow of fluid to provide
for rapid confirmatory immunological testing ("RCIT") in, for example, a
clinical, point-of-care setting. A fluid specimen such as blood, saliva
or urine is deposited into a first chamber carrying a source of conjugate
having mobilizable binding members such as immunographic antigens or
antibodies specific to the condition being tested conjugated to a
detectable label such as colloidal gold. The specimen is premixed with a
first measured, reactive mix buffer solution carried within an openable
tank. The specimen and solution are temporarily held within an incubation
reservoir formed behind a dam made from porous, diffusive material. The
delay and flow through the diffusive dam causes mixing of the specimen
and solution to form a premixture which exhibits a more uniformly high
degree of first affinity binding before flowing out of the first chamber
toward one or more chromatographic test strips in a second chamber. In
one embodiment, after a waiting period, a bladder containing a stop-wash
buffer solution is opened to flow onto the strips. Additional embodiments
provide one or more diffusive structures that can be pretreated with
mixture enhancing chemicals such as surfactants. It is a rapid
confirmatory immunological test apparatus having an analytical panel
which can provide profile diagnostic results.