EXHIBIT 10(a)

                                  E-Z-EM, INC.

                             1983 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                      (As amended through October 12, 1995)

1. PURPOSE OF PLAN

                  The purpose of the Plan is to assist the Company in the
continued employment of valued employees by offering them a
greater stake in the Company's success and a closer identity with
it, and to aid in gaining the services of individuals whose
employment would be helpful to the Company and would contribute
to its success.

2.       DEFINITIONS

                  (a)      "Board" means the board of directors of the Parent
Company.

                  (b)      "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.

                  (c)      "Committee" means the committee described in
Paragraph 5.

                  (d)      "Company" means E-Z-EM, Inc. and each of its
Subsidiary Companies.

                  (e)      "Date of Grant" means the date on which an Option
is granted.

                  (f) "Incentive Stock Option" shall mean an option granted
under the Plan, designated by the Committee at the time of such grant as an
Incentive Stock Option and containing the terms specified herein for Incentive
Stock Options.

<PAGE>



                  (g) "Non-Qualified Option" shall mean an option granted under
the Plan, designated by the Committee at the time of such grant as a
Non-Qualified Option and containing the terms specified herein for Non-Qualified
Options.

                  (h)      "Option" means any stock option granted under the
Plan and described either in Paragraph 3(a) or 3(b).

                  (i) "Optionee" means a person to whom an Option has been
granted under the Plan, which Option has not been exercised and has not expired
or terminated.

                  (j)      "Parent Company" means E-Z-EM, Inc.

                  (k)      "Shares" means shares of common stock of the

Parent Company.

                  (l) "Subsidiary Companies" means all corporations that, at the
time in question, are subsidiary corporations of the Parent Company within the
meaning of Section 425(f) of the Code.

                  (m) "Ten Percent Shareholder" means a person who on the Date
of the Grant owns, either directly or within the meaning of the attribution
rules contained in Section 425(d) of the Code, stock possessing more than ten
percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of his or her
employer corporation or of its parent or subsidiary corporations, as defined
respectively in Sections 425 (e) and (f) of the Code.

                  (n) "Value" means on any given date, the closing price of the
Shares as reported by NASDAQ, or if listed on a national exchange, the closing
price of the Shares on such exchange on such date.


                                        2

<PAGE>

3.       RIGHTS TO BE GRANTED

                  Rights that may be granted under the Plan are:

                  (a) Incentive Stock Options, that give the Optionee the right
for a specified time period to purchase a specified number of Shares for a price
not less than their Value on the Date of Grant; and

                  (b) Non-Qualified Options, that give the Optionee the right
for a specified time period to purchase a specified number of Shares for a price
not less than their Value on the Date of the Grant.

                  Options granted prior to and exercised on or after October 26,
1992 are exercisable for Shares consisting of half Class A Common Stock and half
Class B Common Stock. Options granted on or after October 26, 1992 are
exercisable for Shares consisting of Class B Common Stock only.

4.      STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN

                  Not more than 1,600,000 Shares in the aggregate may be issued
pursuant to the Plan upon exercise of Options. If an Option terminates without
having been exercised in whole or part, other Options may be granted covering
the Shares as to which the Option was not exercised. Notwithstanding anything
contained in the Plan to the contrary, no recipient of Options may be granted
options to purchase in excess of twenty-five percent (25%) of the maximum number
of Shares authorized to be issued under the Plan.


                                        3
<PAGE>
5.      ADMINISTRATION OF PLAN

                  To the extent required by Rule 16b-3 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (or any similar rule of the Securities and Exchange
Commission), the Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee, which
shall be composed of two directors of the Parent Company, appointed by the
Board.

6.      GRANT OF RIGHTS

                  The Committee may grant Options to eligible employees of the
Company.

7.       ELIGIBILITY

                  (a) Options may be granted only to employees of the Company
who are officers or persons whose principal duties consist of supervising the
work of other employees of the Company, including employees who are also
directors.

                  (b) An Incentive Stock Option shall not be granted to a Ten
Percent Shareholder except on such terms concerning the Option Price and period
of exercise as are provided in Paragraph 8 with respect to such a person.

8.       OPTION AGREEMENTS AND TERMS

                  All options shall be granted within ten years of December 31,
1995 and be evidenced by option agreements that shall be executed on behalf of
the Parent Company and by the respective Optionees. The terms of each such
agreement shall be determined from time to time by the Committee consistent,
however, with the following:


                                        4
<PAGE>
                  (a) OPTION PRICE. The option price per Share shall be
determined by the Committee but shall not be less than 100 percent of the Value
of the Shares on the Date of Grant; provided that with respect to any Incentive
Stock Options granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder, the option price per Share
shall not be less than 110 percent of the Value of the Shares on the Date of
Grant.

                  (b) RESTRICTION ON TRANSFERABILITY. An Option shall not be
transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution and,
during the lifetime of the Optionee, shall be exercisable only by him or her.
Upon the death of an Optionee, the person to whom the rights shall have passed
by will or by the laws of descent and distribution may exercise any Options in
accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 8(e).

                  (c) PAYMENT. Full payment for Shares purchased upon the
exercise of an Option shall be made in cash or, at the election of the Optionee
and subject to the approval of the Committee, by surrendering Shares with an
aggregate Value equal to the aggregate option price or by delivering such
combination of Shares and cash as the Committee may in its discretion approve.

                  (d) ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES; PAYMENT OF CASH. Only whole
Shares shall be issuable upon exercise of Options. Any right to a fractional
Share shall be satisfied in cash. Upon payment of the option price, a
certificate for the number of whole Shares and a check for the Value on the date
of exercise of


                                        5
<PAGE>
the fractional share to which the Optionee is entitled shall be delivered to
such Optionee by the Parent Company. If listed on a national exchange, the
Parent Company shall not be obligated to deliver any certificates for Shares
until such Shares have been listed (or authorized for listing upon official
notice of issuance) upon each stock exchange upon which outstanding Shares of
such class at the time are listed nor until there has been compliance with such
laws or regulations as the Parent Company may deem applicable. The Parent
Company shall use its best efforts to effect such listing and compliance.

                  (e) PERIODS OF EXERCISE OF OPTIONS. An Option shall be
exercisable in whole or in part at such time as may be determined by the
Committee and stated in the option agreement, provided that an Incentive Stock
Option shall not be exercisable after five years from the Date of Grant in the
case of an Option granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder and any other Option
shall not be exercisable after ten years from the Date of Grant in all other
cases, except as provided below:

                           (i) Subject to the limitations on the exercise of
                           Incentive Stock Options contained in Paragraph 9, in
                           the event that an Optionee ceases to be employed by
                           the Company for any reason other than death, an
                           Option shall not be exercisable after 3 months from
                           the date the Optionee ceases to be employed by the
                           Company; provided that if such cessation of
                           employment is due to the disability


                                        6
<PAGE>
                           or the retirement of the Optionee he or she shall
                           have the right to exercise his or her Options to the
                           extent determined by the Committee in its discretion
                           and set forth in the option agreement, even if the
                           date of exercise is within any time period prescribed
                           by the Plan prior to which such Option shall not be
                           exercisable, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that in no event
                           shall an Incentive Stock Option be exercisable after
                           five years from the Date of Grant in the case of Ten
                           Percent Shareholder and no other Option shall be
                           exercisable after ten years from the Date of Grant in
                           all other cases; and

                           (ii) In the event that an Optionee ceases to be
                           employed by the Company by reason of his or her
                           death, an Incentive Stock Option shall not be
                           exercisable after six months from the date of death
                           and a Non-Qualified Option shall not be exercisable
                           after one year from the date of death; provided that
                           in such event, the person to whom the rights of the
                           Optionee shall have passed by will or by the laws of
                           descent and distribution may exercise any of the
                           descendent's Options to the extent determined by the
                           Committee in its discretion and set forth in the
                           option agreement, even if the date of exercise is
                           within any time


                                        7
<PAGE>
                           period prescribed by the Plan prior to which such
                           Option shall not be exercisable, and provided that an
                           Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after
                           five years from the Date of Grant in the case of a
                           Ten Percent Shareholder and any to her Option shall
                           not be exercisable after ten years from the Date of
                           Grant in all other cases.

                  (f) DATE OF EXERCISE. The date of exercise of an Option shall
be the date on which written notice of exercise, addressed to the Parent Company
at its main office to the attention of its Treasurer, is hand delivered,
telecopied or mailed, first class postage prepaid; provided that the Parent
Company shall not be obliged to deliver any certificates for Shares pursuant to
the exercise of an Option until the Optionee shall have made payment in full of
the option price for such Shares. Each such exercise shall be irrevocable when
given. Each notice of exercise must state whether the Optionee is exercising an
Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Option and must include a statement of
preference as to the manner in which payment to the Parent Company shall be made
(Shares or cash or a combination of Shares and cash).

                  (g) TERMINATION OF STATUS. For the purposes of the Plan a
transfer of an employee between two employers, each of which is a Company, shall
not be deemed a termination of employment.

                  (h) NO RELATION BETWEEN INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS AND
NON-QUALIFIED OPTIONS. The grant, exercise, termination or


                                        8
<PAGE>
expiration of any Incentive Stock Option granted to an Optionee shall have no
effect upon any Non-Qualified Option held by such Optionee, nor shall the grant,
exercise, termination or expiration of any Non-Qualified Option granted to an
Optionee have any effect upon any Incentive Stock Option held by such Optionee.

                  (i) CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. Each Optionee holding an Incentive
Stock Option shall agree that the Company shall have the right to require him to
continue in the service of the Company for such period, not less than two years
from the date the option was granted, as the Board may determine and as may be
stated in the option agreement.

                  (j) CONVERSION OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS. With the consent of
the Committee, an Optionee holding an Incentive Stock Option may convert such
Option to a Non-Qualified Option in which event, unless otherwise determine by
the Committee and stated in the amended option agreement (i) such Option shall
be exercisable until ten years from the original Date of Grant, (ii) the option
price per Share shall be 100 percent of the Value of the Shares on the original
Date of Grant, and (iii) such Option shall thereupon cease to be an Incentive
Stock Option hereunder and shall be a Non-Qualified Option hereunder.

9.       LIMITATION ON EXERCISE OF INCENTIVE STOCK OPTIONS

                  The aggregate fair market value (determined as of the time
Options are granted) of the shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options
may first become exercisable by an Optionee in any one calendar year under the
Plan and any other


                                        9
<PAGE>
plan of his or her employer corporation and its parent subsidiary corporations,
as defined respectively in sections 425(e) and (f) of the Code, shall not exceed
$100,000. The foregoing limitation shall apply only to Incentive Stock Options
granted under the Plan, and not to any other Options granted under the Plan.

10.      RIGHTS AS STOCKHOLDERS

                  An Optionee shall have no right as a stockholder with respect
to any Shares covered by his or her Options until the date of issuance of a
stock certificate to him or her for such Shares.

11.      CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION

                  In the event of a stock dividend, stock split,
recapitalization, combination, subdivision, issuance of rights to all
stockholders, or other similar corporate change, the Board shall make an
appropriate adjustment in the aggregate number of Shares that may be subject to
Options, and the number of Shares subject to, and the option price of, each
then-outstanding Option.

12.      MERGERS, DISPOSITIONS AND CERTAIN OTHER TRANSACTIONS

                  If during the term of any Option the Parent Company or any of
the Subsidiary Companies shall be merged into or consolidated with or otherwise
combined with or acquired by another person or entity, or there is a divisive
reorganization or a liquidation or partial liquidation of the Parent Company,
the Parent Company may choose to take no action with regard to the Options
outstanding or to take any of the following courses of action:


                                       10
<PAGE>
                  (a) Subject to the limitations on the exercise of Incentive
Stock Options contained in Paragraph 9, not less than 15 days nor more than 60
days prior to any such transaction all Optionees shall be notified that their
Options shall expire on the 15th day after the date of such notice, in which
event all Optionees shall have the right to exercise all of their Options prior
to such new expiration date;

                  (b) The Parent Company shall provide in any agreement with
respect to any such merger, consolidation, combination or acquisition that the
surviving, new or acquiring corporation shall grant options to the Optionees to
acquire shares in such corporation with respect to which the excess of the fair
market value of the shares of such corporation immediately after the
consummation of such merger, consolidation, combination or acquisition over the
option price, shall not be greater than the excess of the Value of the Shares
over the option price of Options, immediately prior to the consummation of such
merger, consolidation, combination or acquisition; or

                  (c) The Parent Company shall take such other action as the
Board shall determine to be reasonable under the circumstances in order to
permit Optionees to realize the value of rights granted to them under the Plan.

13.      PLAN NOT TO AFFECT EMPLOYMENT

                  Neither the plan nor any Option shall confer upon any employee
of the Company any right to continue in the employment of the Company.


                                       11
<PAGE>
14.      INTERPRETATION

                  The Committee shall have the power to interpret the Plan and
to make and amend rules for putting it into effect and administering it. It is
intended that the Incentive Stock Options shall constitute incentive stock
options within the meaning of Section 422A of the Code, that the Non-Qualified
Options shall constitute property subject to federal income tax pursuant to the
provisions of Section 83 of the Code and that the Plan shall qualify for the
exemption available under Rule 16b-3 (or any similar rule) of the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The provisions of the Plan shall be interpreted and applied
insofar as possible to carry out such intent.

15.      AMENDMENTS

                  The Plan may be amended by the Board, but any amendment that
increases the aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to the Plan
upon exercise of Options (otherwise than pursuant to Paragraph 11), that changes
the class of eligible employees, or that otherwise requires the approval of the
shareholders of the Parent Company in order to maintain the exemption available
under Rule 16b-3 (or any similar rule) of the Securities and Exchange Commission
shall require the approval of the holders of such portion of the shares of the
capital stock of the Parent Company present and entitled to vote on such
amendment as is required by applicable state law and the terms of the Parent
Company's capital stock to make the amendment effective. No outstanding Option
shall be affected by any such amendment


                                       12
<PAGE>
without the written consent of the Optionee or other person then entitled to
exercise such Option.

16.      SECURITIES LAWS

                  The Committee shall have the power to make each grant under
the Plan subject to such conditions as it deems necessary or appropriate to
comply with the then existing requirements of Rule 16b-3 (or any similar rule)
of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

17.      EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF PLAN

                  The Plan shall become effective on August 9, 1983, the date on
which the Plan was adopted by the Board and shall expire on December 30, 1995
unless sooner terminated by the Board. The Board shall submit the Plan to the
shareholders of the Parent Company for their approval at the first annual
meeting of shareholders held after August 8, 1983 unless such shareholders'
approval shall have been obtained prior to such meeting. Any Option granted
before the approval of the Plan by the Parent Company's shareholders shall be
expressly conditioned upon, and shall not be exercisable until, such approval.
If such shareholder approval is not received before August 7, 1984 the Board
shall have the right to terminate the Plan, in which case all Options granted
under the Plan shall expire.


                                       13