PollyOR Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 My oldest is 30 and way back then I used a glass thermometer. Actually I owned two - oral and rectal. A couple of weeks ago, my teen was running a fever (norovirus?) and of course the battery on the digital thermometer was low. I was stuck at home due to snow and ice, and I didn't feel safe jumping in the car and driving six miles to buy a new one. At that point, I moaned about no longer having a good 'ole glass thermometer which didn't require a battery. Today I was dejunking and found my old oral thermometer. "Aha! I'll never have to worry about relying on a battery powered thermometer again." Of course, now I'm worried about safety. I know my family members are old enough not to bite the thermometer but I'm not sure if it has mercury in it. Does anyone know if they were still using mercury in the 1980's? I have to tell on myself. When I was a teenager, I broke a thermometer and had a lot of fun playing with the little balls that were rolling around on the floor. It's pretty cool stuff. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to touch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Found this information here: http://www.heracliteanriver.com/?p=246 "Elemental mercury is only dangerous in vapor form. Exposure to a little liquid is unlikely to cause any harm, let alone major health effects. Many older people remember playing around with mercury from broken thermometers when they were kids; they haven’t all died." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanalouwho Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 I have no idea if they were still using mercury back then. But I, too, am fed up with digital thermometers. The readings ate always inconsistent and I don't trust them nearly as much. You can buy a no-mercury glass thermometer at CVS. I know because I bought one a couple months ago. Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 (edited) I have no idea if they were still using mercury back then. But I, too, am fed up with digital thermometers. The readings ate always inconsistent and I don't trust them nearly as much. You can buy a no-mercury glass thermometer at CVS. I know because I bought one a couple months ago. Sent from my HTCD160LVW using Tapatalk Thank you! I'm definitely going to buy another one. With a bunch of adults, we just don't use thermometers often enough to think about keeping the batteries fresh. Edited January 16, 2017 by PollyOR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 16, 2017 Share Posted January 16, 2017 Look at the meniscus of the thermometer. The mercury thermometers has a "frown" meniscus. The alcohol ones are usually colored red. Photo in link is what I mean http://fphoto.photoshelter.com/image/I0000ocE.bJReMWY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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