"Take your temperature" has a new meaning these days

I was visiting a friend this weekend and their "children" (twins - boy & girl 15 years old) were home and not feeling well. They were resting on the sofa. The mother, a nurse, announced that she was going to "take their temperature(s)." Sitting there in the chair opposite the sofa, I was curious about how that was going to play out. Well, very uneventfully with the temporal thermometer. She approached the daughter, held the gadget in front of her head, it turned read and the mother looked at it and said, "103.9". Then, she went to the son, did the same thing with a similar response except "104.1" and that was it.

So - it made me think that to say, "I am going to TAKE your temperature" these days really means, "I am going to MEASURE your temperature." No shaking down the thermometer and cleaning with alcohol, and definitely no putting it under the tongue or having to lower panties or underwear for rectal temperature.

Nonetheless, the process - however brief - did get my attention and when I got home - it was panties down for me to TAKE my rectal temperature which was 99.2 - and then I masturbated and it was wonderful!

She approached the daughter, held the gadget in front of her head, it turned read and the mother looked at it and said, "103.9". Then, she went to the son, did the same thing with a similar response except "104.1" and that was it.

All medfet aside, what a great tool. You don't even need to stick it in an ear? What will they think of next? I can't wait for a medical pod like in the movie 'Prometheus' to become available. You can bet that will start a whole new subsection of medfet interests, like medpodding or something like that ... 😃

Btw: 'taking' a temperature has always meant 'measuring'. No matter what a body temperature may be, it still stays with the person after it's been measured. ... ha ha

That is a very interested story. Thank you for sharing it.

@NotForMee said

So - it made me think that to say, "I am going to TAKE your temperature" these days really means, "I am going to MEASURE your temperature."

That is what it ALWAYS meant.

A similar statement is "I am going to TAKE your photograph" when you aren't Taking anything. You are MAKING a photograph.

I agree with you Switchablesusie.

Interesting. Those temporal thermometers aren’t that great.

The temporal thermometers may be convenient but I'm not sure how accurate they are.

I would be so disappointed!!

Can you imagine if she was asking them to take down their panties in front of you??

That would be great!!!

You would be hard-pressed to find rectal temps. being done these days, especially on teens, unless something life-threatening, like hypothermia, occurred, and that's even questionable. If you had a time machine, that would allow you to be transported back to the 1960's, that might be a different story. With today's technology and PC culture......not likely to happen.

The temporal thermometers may be convenient but I'm not sure how accurate they are.

Those temporal thermometers aren’t that great.

I don't know why everyone is so concerned about "accuracy" of one's temp by rectal vs temporal. They are typically within 1 degree F or so of each other. You don't need anything more accurate than that. Someone said their mother took their temp by kissing their forehead - and that was accurate enough. If you are just looking for a reason to stick something up your butt - fine, but don't kid yourself about the need for more accuracy.

Temporal thermometers are not accurate. They always say I’m 3-4 degrees warmer than I am. At the clinic I make them retake mine with a probe just to show the nurses how inaccurate they are. They’re always wrong. Why even use them?

(I see a doctor at least twice per month).

(I see a doctor at least twice per month).

why do you have to see a doctor twice a month. Serious. Hope not.

@gwhap I go twice per month for various reasons, lately it’s been about blood pressure, usually it’s to my urologist. I’m a paraplegic, and that comes with a host of medical issues, both expected, and many unexpected. I’m dead fucking serious. (I see a doctor two times per month), sometimes more.

@gwhap said

I don't know why everyone is so concerned about "accuracy" of one's temp by rectal vs temporal. They are typically within 1 degree F or so of each other. You don't need anything more accurate than that. Someone said their mother took their temp by kissing their forehead - and that was accurate enough. If you are just looking for a reason to stick something up your butt - fine, but don't kid yourself about the need for more accuracy.

That was me. I still do not like temporal thermometers.

@gwhap I go twice per month for various reasons, lately it’s been about blood pressure, usually it’s to my urologist. I’m a paraplegic, and that comes with a host of medical issues, both expected, and many unexpected. I’m dead fucking serious. (I see a doctor two times per month).

I relate to this. I'll bet I've been to 3 or 4 doctors in the last month or so. I don't usually go that much but I had a foot,sleep,cardiologist and family doc all in the last month. It sucks to get old!

That was me. I still do not like temporal thermometers.

I remember - you said something about your mother's lips were fully calibrated!

I don't remember the last time my temperature was taken during a doctor visit - maybe once a few years ago when I thought I had the flu, but I couldn't say if it was oral or temporal (I'd remember if it was rectal!). They took my wife's temp periodically during a hospital stay and it was always temporal. I asked how accurate it was and the nurse said it was pretty accurate. When discharged, they told me to take her to the emergency room if her temp hit 101.4F. Hell, the only thing we have at home are some meat thermometers!! If she felt hot to me that would have been a good enough indicator to seek medical help.

Parents would feel my forehead. Rarely was my temp taken, unless I felt really warm, then the family rectal thermometer was used. Now-a-days, I see my primary doc every 3 or 4 months and his assistant uses a probe under the tongue.

The bane of technology, spoiling all the fun ! Well, actually, most people probably don't want their temp. taken rectally,and depending on the age, many would likely not even have any experience with it. These modern methods eliminate the stress and the fuss. Simple, easy, quick and clean. Look at all of these folks having temp. checks for the coronavirus. I don't know what happens behind closed doors in the hospitals, but publicly, they're assuming that the infrared thermometers are accurately measuring the temp. The truth is, that if they used a vintage glass rectal thermometer, it would probably give a much different reading. I have these visions of sexy asian women, having their rectal temp. taken in that manner.