Thermometer sheaths

There's one detail I remember from doctor visits that I almost never see mentioned today. Whenever the nurse took my temperature (I only remember orally), she shook down the glass thermometer, then slid on a "B-D Temp-Away" plastic sheath with a blue wrapper. There was also a box of sheaths with a red wrapper, and I was always afraid she would reach for one of those, though she never did.

The sheath created an interesting tickling sensation against my tongue. Today I can only get the plastic sheaths for digital thermometers, which just don't feel the same at all.

I remember being fascinated with thermometers from a very young age. When I was growing up (in the late 70s and 80s), every doctor visit began with height, weight, and temperature. On the doctor's table were two metal or plastic cylinders, clearly labeled "oral" and "rectal", with two thermometers sticking out of them. I watched with apprehension as the nurse (who wore a white uniform with stockings) chose a thermometer. At least within the recall of my memory, she always chose the oral thermometer, though I suspect that my fascination started earlier when that wasn't the case.

By the time I was 12 or 13 the fascination was deep seated. I remember distinctly how I graduated to the "teenager" section of my doctor's office, which had its own waiting room and exam rooms, and my mom wasn't allowed to come back with me. As I waited for the doctor, I looked at the table, and sure enough, there were both oral and rectal thermometers in this exam room, too. I couldn't contain my curiosity. I looked at the red-tipped thermometer sticking out of the "rectal" jar, then picked it up and held it in my hand. I can only imagine what would have happened if the doctor had walked in at that moment - or if I had dropped it on the floor and broken it! Alas, I put it back in the jar, and it never found its way into my rear end.

And then, sometime in the late 80s, the doctor's office got an ear thermometer, and they hired a young nurse who wore blue scrubs instead of a white skirt. It just wasn't as much fun after that.

There's one more detail that's important to me. Whenever the nurse took my temperature, she put a plastic sheath on the thermometer (B-D Temp-Away). (I remember the school nurse doing this, too.) There was a blue box of oral sheaths and a red box of pre-lubricated rectal sheaths. I almost never see plastic sheaths depicted in images or stories these days. The fluted edge of the sheath gave a nice tickle to the underside of my tongue. These days I can only find the sheaths for digital thermometers, which tend to have a sharp seam on them and just don't feel right.

Agree that the new digital thermometers are too sharp, but wouldn't mind a nurse in blue scrubs as long as she took my temperature rectally with a glass thermometer!

That was a very intresting The doctor I went to as a Kid never used a sheath on the thermometers

I have no memory of ever having one. just oral.

i asked a girlfriend once if she wanted to play doctor and she lit up, she totally wanted to. we messed around, just exploring each other. then i asked 'can i take your temperature' and she got embarrasses but said 'yes'. i assumed she would like down on her stomach but she got on her back and pulled her legs up instead. i used vaseline, spread her cheeks open with one hand and put on the lube with the other, pushing inside a bit, just the tip. then after she said OK i put the thermometer in about halfway, looking both at her anus squeezing around it and at her face. she just stared up at the ceiling, didnt' seem to be into it. when i asked her if it's ok, she said, 'it's so fucking hot'. so that was the first of many times.

I remember sheaths for glass thermometers. I used to have a rectal thermometer used on me with a pre-lubed thermometer sheath on it. I always liked the feel of the unsheathed thermometer better!

I remember those for the mouth, except the sheaths were already peeled off for the oral temp. For the Rectal Temp the Doctor usually used a Digital one.

We still use sheaths for our glass thermometer at home

Those were common in the hospitals in the 70s & 80s (I was an NA and then went on to nursing school). The red rectal sheaths were pre-lubricated, but they really needed more lubrication to be comfortable, preferably vaseline.

A

I've used some for both glass and digitals. I think I prefer them without sheaths, both glass and digital, oral and rectal. The digital sheaths too often times don't attach correctly and I'll spend a few minutes going through several of them until one works; at that rate I might as well just sterilize good with alcohol after it's over. I have better luck with the glass ones, and if well lubricated, you can hardly feel them.

Bb2007 , Yes the blue was for oral and red was for rectal. You probably will have a near impossible time finding the sheaths for either one now because mercury thermometers have been phased out. The sheaths I remember using on the older rectal thermometers were pre-lubricated, but still uncomfortable for the patient.

The x and i never used covers on the thermometer. we just took our temps. be it playing, or to see if we were sick.

I recall being in the hospital in the early 80s and the hospital using the "Temp-A-Ways" for the routine oral temp checks. It was my first experience with them. I always felt a bit embarrassed as they looked like a little flag protruding from your mouth...

I never had a rectal temp with a sheath, but I remember the oral ones for the glass thermometers that looked sort of like a little plastic bag, the corners used to dig under my tongue and hurt a bit.

When I was little, the sheaths that my doctor used look exactly the same for oral and for rectal. But they have different thermometers for oral and for rectal use, as I remember.

I remember the routine every time: the nurse coming back in after I was stripped to my undies and sitting on the end of the exam table. She would take my BP first and then snap on a latex glove on one hand only and retrieve a probe with a red end on it and a curly cord running back to the wall and I could hear her press it down which would snap a slender plastic cover on it. The she would say I need you to lay back and flip over on your tummy. I wasn't completely flipped over before I could feel her reach for the elastic with both hands and drop my undies to almost my knees while she held the probe between two fingers. You can guess what happened next.

Compared to a glass rectal thermometer that a pediatrician used before, it was much more invasive and sometimes felt sharp as it was pushed in and like it was turning you inside out when it was pulled out later. I think it was longer too and went in further. I thought it was because they didn't bother to lubricate it but someone said earlier they were pre-lubricated, which is probably right although not much lubrication. It later got to be a real turn on.

I think thermometer sheaths do not even exist in Germany.

i saw them when i was on holiday in the U.S.

of course i bought some and checked it out. but i do not like the feeling.

there is nothing better than a lubricated glass thermometer... :-)

I prefer to take rectal temps. I dont use a sheath but if someone felt they needed it I would use one as long as they have their bottom exposed.

There very uncomfy for the patient there not very well lubed and if you look in the right place you can still find the sheaths but there hard to get.

I never remember having an RT taken in a clinical situation, and mom never used sheaths at home, so I never had a sheath used on me until I bought a box of my own. After wasting a few of them trying to figure out how to get them over the thermometer, I finally was able to try one. Needless to say I was VERY disappointed. While yes, it was "pre-lubricated for rectal use" it felt worse than inserting a dry glass thermometer. I often wonder for all of those people out there who think that RT's hurt, if this is maybe one reason why... because they had a sheath used on them as a young child.

Neoplanman,

Agree completely. The sheaths were uncomfortable, never had adequate lubrication, and interfere with the "cold glass" feeling many enjoy.

I don't remember sheaths at all from growing up in the 50's and 60's. At the doctors office the nurse would take the thermometer out of the glass container and shake it down. Then she would dip it in a jar of vaseline before having me take down my pants and either lay over her lap or lay on my tummy on the table.

It's uncomfortable. I don't use it.

I can remember when those digital ones came out. This dr and nurse had just started using them and they said it would be real quick. Well, it wasnt. After laying on my stomach with jockey shorts pulled down to mid thigh for a long time, they jammed one of those electronic thermometers with a big sheath on it, right into my ass. I think it was pre lubed, and didnt have enough on it. It was definately bigger than the regular glass thermometers and went in farther and hurt a little due to lack of lube. They had lots of trouble keeping the sheath on and kept trying to push it back on while it was in my butt, and then took it out and put another one on, and after 3 tries if finally stayed on but not without a lot of moving it around in my butt which hurt. They kept telling me to hold still and try not to clamp down on it, but I couldnt help it. Dr kept my cheeks open while nurse held the probe in place. Super embarrassing. What was supposed to be quick turned into a real ordeal.

My doctor's office didn't use the sheaths.I'm glad though,they aren't as stimulating.The good old fashioned glass rectal thermometer always felt nice and cold.A sheath takes away from that.

I have only seen a thermometer with placic sheath one time. It was pre lubricated, but it was for old fashion thermometer.

Does anyone know if you can buy sheaths for old rectal thermometer?

I have used thermometer sheaths before I don't like them. So I don't use them anymore

I tried using a sheath on a rectal thermometer years ago. It was uncomfortable, not in a sore way, but almost like it was scratching my insides. My guess is that you can still find them online, somewhere.

An urgent care nurse used a sheath on a rectal probe when I had a migraine. I think it was soft plastic, hardly felt it. She checked my temp twice, once while I was lying on an exam table, being sick into a plastic bucket, and a couple of hours later in a cubbie as I was half asleep from the medication she shot into my hip. This was several years ago in a small town in "Minnesota Nice." We don't use sheaths at home, but I'm a stickler on disinfecting.

I had a sheath used a couple times at the pediatrician. I found it really uncomfortable. Especially in the diaper position.