What is this?

I've had this mystery item for about 30 years, got it at a thrift shop I think, because I liked the quality....but have never been able to figure it out.
It is machined from nickel-plated brass, and the barrel is about 4 1/2" long, 1" diameter; with the plungers extended it is 17" long, 13" with the plungers in the shortest position.
The inner longer plunger with the T-handle ends in a disc with four round holes; the outer shorter plunger with the two-hole handle ends in a thicker solid disc. The plungers move independently inside one another, and fit the barrel quite tightly. When the ends are removed from the barrel, both plungers extend well beyond the barrel.
The markings are the letters D, B and T superimposed inside a circle; the words Standard Barrel and Made in Switzerland; and a cross with the number 124863.
Thoughts were: agitate a liquid sample with the longer handle while applying pressure to it with the shorter handle; or unknown medical or chemistry use.

^

 

The little cross may indicate a Swiss patent number.

 

It looks very similar to a veterinary large animal bolus gun. A giant pill popper.

 

My immediate thought is it is for forcing a magnet into a cow's stomach though It seems a bit elaborate for that........but it IS Swiss so...

 

I wonder is it is a pill press. I'm not sure if that would be the correct terminolgy for it (For forming and making pills)

 

I'm all ears!

 

?

 

Was that something you just made up, KingofThings?

 

No.....
Magnets are put in their stomachs to capture wire from hay bales so it doesn't go into their intestines.
I've done this to them.

 

I honestly thought caulking thingie, but Davey's pictures make me think it's the dental thingie. So are we deciding between the two?

 

I don't have time right now to search but maybe that # will come up somewhere...

 

Dentists do use caulking for making molds, isolating tissue and applying enamel - this is what some look like now (they change the tips, just like cake decorating ) - not very reassuring object to have pointed at your face

 

Poor cow!

So a I might run across a medicinal cow or goat magnet in my travels, right? lol

I'll keep my eyes peeled...

 

--________---_____---

This is me, hiding under the rug!

 

Cow Magnet

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ajax-Scient...377244?hash=item3aba1a1f1c:g:DLQAAOSwSdZWgoFd

 

Well, I looked but it got a little too graphic to share (you're welcome!)

so I'll just say: Anybody for some
red right - green light?

 

Poor cow if no magnet.

 

Right??? (I really did look it up)

 

Hi,
If you think that is horrible, my grandfather had a trocar. It was used when a cow had bloat. He used to stab the cow and grass and whatever else it ate came flying out of the hole in it's side. It totally freaked me out the first time I saw it used.
greg