barium sulfate
(BAYR-ee-um SUL-fayt)
A silver-white metallic compound made from the mineral barite. It is mixed with water and used in barium swallows and barium enemas to help show parts of the digestive system on an x-ray.
The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.
Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.