A Merry Barium Swallow. Lumix M4/3 14mm

Years ago, the healthcare company by which I am employed used to perform barium studies at many of its sites.  Then management decided to consolidate things, and now upper Gastro-Intestinal  and, ahem, lower Colonic studies are only performed at a couple of locations.  The exams are performed by a radiologist with a tech assisting and documenting things with x-ray images.  A few days ago, I noticed this relic from those halcyon days: a paper cup used for measuring out and having a patient ingest a certain amount of barium sulphate.  This heavy, sticky liquid, the consistency of a smoothie, comes in chocolate or strawberry flavor, neither of which does much to mask its truly revolting taste and chalky texture.  In practice, the barium coats every tiny crevice of the upper or lower digestive tract, and enables the x-rays to visualize pathologies.  At my present site, those days are long gone, and, as the Blip demonstrates, the cup now serves as a pen holder.  What really amused me was the vendor's name: Merry X-Ray, as if there could be any possible merriment derived from having to swig a cup-full of radio-opaque gruel - or worse.