k.smead on thu 17 jun 99
clayarters..
i hope no one laughs at this post... but I am a clinical speech pathologist
by profession and potter by obsession...and I specialize in swallowing
disorders. I do an average of 3-7 radiographic procedures per week called
"Modified Barium Swallow Studies". I add barium to liquids and various
consistencies of food. The patient eats/drinks this material and an xray
video is made. I study the nature of the swallowing problem and determine
postural changes to facilitate the dysfunction.
Is this the same barium?...compound.... we are referring to in glazes??? I
had to ask...cause not only do I feed this to infants...children..and
adults.... I wear it all over my clothes and shoes half the time... :)
katie
klay@pcola.gulf.net
John Hesselberth on fri 18 jun 99
k.smead wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>clayarters..
>i hope no one laughs at this post... but I am a clinical speech pathologist
>by profession and potter by obsession...and I specialize in swallowing
>disorders. I do an average of 3-7 radiographic procedures per week called
>"Modified Barium Swallow Studies". I add barium to liquids and various
>consistencies of food. The patient eats/drinks this material and an xray
>video is made. I study the nature of the swallowing problem and determine
>postural changes to facilitate the dysfunction.
>
>Is this the same barium?...compound.... we are referring to in glazes??? I
>had to ask...cause not only do I feed this to infants...children..and
>adults.... I wear it all over my clothes and shoes half the time... :)
>katie
>klay@pcola.gulf.net
Hi Katie,
You are undoubtedly using barium sulfate. It has very low solubility in
water and, therefore, is considered "safe" in medical applications. In
addition to the uses you mention, when you have a small bowel series
X-ray you get to drink a whole quart of barium sulfate suspension that is
about the consistency of glaze slop. It does a nice job of giving
contrast in an x-ray so you can better see what you need to see. When
glazes are fired in a kiln, the barium carbonate (the usual form used in
glaze recipes) turns into barium oxide. Both the carbonate and the oxide
more soluble in water and , therefore, are more dangerous--they can more
readily be absorbed into the body, whereas the sulfate tends to pass
right through.
I would still question your industrial hygiene practices, though, if you
get covered with the dust. Your employer is required to keep copies of a
Material Safety Data Sheet for any hazardous materials you use in your
work. Read a copy of that and then decide whether you need better
practices to avoid getting barium sulfate on yourself.
John Hesselberth
Frog Pond Pottery
P.O. Box 88
Pocopson, PA 19366 USA
EMail: john@frogpondpottery.com web site: http://www.frogpondpottery.com
"It is time for potters to claim their proper field. Pottery in its pure
form relies neither on sculptural additions nor on pictorial decorations.
but on the counterpoint of form, design, colour, texture and the quality
of the material, all directed to a function." Michael Cardew in "Pioneer
Pottery"
Dave Finkelnburg on fri 18 jun 99
Katie,
|Do all of us on the list a favor and ask your supplier what form of
barium you are using. We know what form we use in glazes--usually barium
carbonate, sometimes some barium frit. The carbonate is poisonous to
people, the frits are not (the barium is fused into the frit and rendered
inert as long as the frit remains a frit).
I for one am no very curious about what form of barium you do use.
Thanks for bringing this up!
Dave Finkelnburg in sunny Idaho
dfinkeln@gemstat.net
-----Original Message-----
From: k.smead
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Thursday, June 17, 1999 4:36 PM
Subject: barium business
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>clayarters..
>i hope no one laughs at this post... but I am a clinical speech pathologist
>by profession and potter by obsession...and I specialize in swallowing
>disorders. I do an average of 3-7 radiographic procedures per week called
>"Modified Barium Swallow Studies". I add barium to liquids and various
>consistencies of food. The patient eats/drinks this material and an xray
>video is made. I study the nature of the swallowing problem and determine
>postural changes to facilitate the dysfunction.
>
>Is this the same barium?...compound.... we are referring to in glazes??? I
>had to ask...cause not only do I feed this to infants...children..and
>adults.... I wear it all over my clothes and shoes half the time... :)
>katie
>klay@pcola.gulf.net
>
Michael Banks on sun 20 jun 99
Katie,
Radio-opaque barium "meals", enemas etc, used in medicine utilise the very
insoluble salt barium sulphate. Because of its extreme insolubility it
essentially non-toxic under most conditions, although this assertion has
been debated on the Clayart forum in the recent past.
Barium carbonate (commonly used as a ceramic glaze ingredient) is soluble if
taken internally and is toxic. Don't they teach chemistry anymore in med
school?
Michael Banks,
Nelson,
New Zealand
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>clayarters..
>i hope no one laughs at this post... but I am a clinical speech pathologist
>by profession and potter by obsession...and I specialize in swallowing
>disorders. I do an average of 3-7 radiographic procedures per week called
>"Modified Barium Swallow Studies". I add barium to liquids and various
>consistencies of food. The patient eats/drinks this material and an xray
>video is made. I study the nature of the swallowing problem and determine
>postural changes to facilitate the dysfunction.
>
>Is this the same barium?...compound.... we are referring to in glazes??? I
>had to ask...cause not only do I feed this to infants...children..and
>adults.... I wear it all over my clothes and shoes half the time... :)
>katie
>klay@pcola.gulf.net
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