The organization of thanatology.

This article explores, using Wilensky's Model of Professionalization, the emergence of professional organizations within the thanatology. The authors review the history of four organizations--The Foundation of Thanatology, Ars Moriendi, The Forum for Death Education and Counseling (now the Association for Death Education and Counseling: A Thanatology Organization [ADEC]), and The International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement (IWG). The authors speculate on some of the reasons that the first two failed while IWG and ADEC remain viable-while noting challenges that these remaining thanatological organizations will experience as they seek to continue to stay relevant.

Swallowed ocular prostheses: report of three cases in children with retinoblastoma.

Purpose: To report 3 instances of 2 children who swallowed their ocular prostheses.

Methods: A 30-month-old boy whose eye had been enucleated for retinoblastoma swallowed his ocular prosthesis on 2 different occasions, and a 32-month-old boy whose eye had also been enucleated for retinoblastoma swallowed his ocular prosthesis once.

Results: In the second child, an abdominal radiograph was obtained, but the swallowed prosthesis was not apparent, and radiographic imaging of the recovered prosthesis failed to demonstrate an identifiable object.