an automated biomedical microscope specimen slide examination system processes a plurality of microscope specimen slides one at a time for microscopic examination . a specimen slide storage magazine is indexed to position each specimen slide for access by a horizontal feed mechanism which transfers the specimen slide onto a microscope stage which has controllable x , y and z axis positioning to move the specimen slide into the optical viewing field of the microscope , focus the image and conduct systematic examination over the desired area of the specimen by x - y axis incremental motion . at the end of the examination the specimen slide is returned to the magazine and the procedure is repeated for the next specimen slide . previously examined specimen slides that have been returned to the storage magazine may be automatically returned to the microscope stage for reexamination .