They say everything old is new again....

And that does appear to be the trend. With technology today and the inaccuracies and needed calibrations of the electronic versions, do you think that the old fashioned glass thermometers will make a come back? They also say sometimes the old tried and true method is the best. Can't wait to read your posts...

NO, they won't, not for general use anyway.

I don't think there's a snowflake's chance in hell this will ever happen. Electric thermometers with disposable covers are where it's at now. Fears of mercury poisoning make glass thermometers obsolescent. The speed alone makes the electronic ones the new wave. In addition except for special circumstances such as slight temperature elevation in neonates having a totally accurate temp is just not needed.

We had to buy some last night. They are still there if you look hard for them. The packaging says they are made without mercury. The thermometers themselves looked thicker too! Buried deep (Lol) behind all the electronic ones. Med Pros: Are the forehead and ear ones accurate? They are making a comeback - at least at our house.

Due to a heavy bout of pseudomonas in the lungs and bladder I've been having 3 x daily visits off the community CF nurses for some time. Half way through a visit one day about 6 weeks back their digital ear thermometer decided to pack up . The nurse tried to fix it , to no avail . I was asked if I had a thermometer they could use . We were upstairs in my room where I have all my medical accessories etc .

I said " yes , I have one in the en suite in a glass on the shelf , but it's a rectal thermometer .

The nurse asked did I mind if that was used . I didn't hesitate in replying with a " No ! Of course not ."

Ever since that day my temperature was taken with the rectal thermometer .

Visits went to twice a day last week as I had improved a lot . Still my temperature was taken rectally at each visit .

At the weekend I became very unwell with a sore throat and cold symptoms .

Monday night I went to bed and I lay shivering for many hours . I don't remember much about what happened but I woke up in resus after having a fit due to a fever of 41.3.

I spent the night in hospital with a continual rectal temp probe in due to tonsillitis and a chest infection. The probe was removed yesterday morning and my temperature was taken via an ear thermometer .

I came home yesterday and am back on 3x daily visits . The nurse arrived last night and prepped everything . 2 IV antibiotics , 2 IM injections , one of anti sickness meds and the other immunoglobulin , IV fluids and suppositories for the fever .

I was only dressed in shorts and a vest as it was a very hot day here yesterday . The nurse came through with the first tray of items . I noted the two IM injections , the glass thermometer and the supps. Usually they insert the thermometer, then do the two IM injections , remove the thermometer and then insert the supps if needed .

I'd lowered my shorts and was lying on my tummy ready to receive the two IM injections . I just presumed they would use the ear thermometer again as that's what they had used in hospital . I was waiting to feel the coolness of the alcohol wipe when instead the nurse put his gloves on and said " I'm just going to insert my finger before I insert the thermometer "

I replied with " oh ! I thought you would use the ear one since that's how they took it in hospital "

The nurse replied with " your shorts are down for the two shots so I may as well just do it this way . That way I can just get on with connecting your ivs and doing your physio . It's no big deal , unless you don't want me too ? "

" It's fine , it gives my bum chance to recover from the Injections before I turn over and have to lie on it for physio " I said , laughing .

So it has continued to be taken rectally . This is only because I'm at home . I would never expect it to be done with a rectal thermometer in hospital . Those probe things they use are made of a very fine soft rubber . I didn't feel it inside me . I was too ill to realise to be fair .

I've discussed rectal temps with all the nurses that have visited me . They have nothing against taking temps rectally . They said digital ear and forehead scanners are used for quickness and are more economical. I don't think glass rectal thermometers will be making a comeback anytime soon .

Rectaltempgal I don't envisage old fashioned glass mercury thermometers will return to clinical practice. There are too many heath and safety concerns regarding the disposal and cleaning up of mercury spillage and also safety concerns from the actual glass as well as mercury poisoning. Also there have been a few studies in which mercury-in-glass thermometers have been implicated in episodes of cross-infection and outbreaks of diarrhoea caused by salmonella and Clostridium difficile.

As some have said the the speed of digital thermometers compared to old fashioned glass mercury thermometers is an important factor in modern healthcare.

As for accuracy one study that compared a disposable thermometer (3M TempaDot) to core pulmonary artery readings found that oral mean readings were significantly higher than core (0.438C) ). However, at the axilla the average difference was only 0.018C, not significantly different to the core temperature .

With regards to the oral site, results have been reported of an average of 0.188C above , 0.158C below and 0.198C below core temperature.

At the axilla, studies have shown equally varied results, with electronic thermometers measuring an average of 0.458C above , 0.338C above to 1.128C below core temperature.

Studies have compared tympanic thermometer readings to core measurements taken by pulmonary artery catheter probes. Some suggest no significant differences between this type of thermometer and core probes, with results giving mean differences in readings of 0.098C or 0.088C . Others provide differences of 0.158C and 0.11-0.528C below core readings and 0.478C to 0.58C above core readings , suggesting significant differences.

However with all the limitations and accuracy concerns of electronic thermometers they are here to stay. In my clinical environment we used digital rectal probes for measuring core temp, as well as urinary catheters with with a temperature attachment. We do have a few Braun ThermoScan tympanic thermometer (Welch Allyn) but our Senior Consultants hates them lol, so they don't get used much.

Glass thermometers won't even be on the store shelves within the next 10 years, in all likelihood. You'll have to look on ebay, antique stores, or estate sales to find them. It's already getting to that point. 15 years ago, you could buy vintage rectal thermometers on ebay for a few dollars, and they were everywhere. Today, you see them selling for many times that amount, and are far and few between. Some communities were voluntarily collecting old mercury thermometers. I'm sure that some of those "collections," were not disposed of, but were kept by hoarders and ebayers, with the right connections.

I'd say it's wishful thinking...mercury thermometers are definitely not coming back. I think there are still cases where rectal remains the gold standard (e.g., in the emergency room for certain patients, and still recommended by many pediatricians - while being recommended against by others), but it's much more likely to be the digital variety. They're usually cheaper than the Germ-a-therm ones that replaced glass mercury thermometers.

If we broke a rt in er it was a full blown hazardous clean up. We used to pass a drop of pure Mercury

Around in chem in high school (a very long time ago)

I too don't think you'll see glass mercury thermometers make a comeback.

My wife's grandfather was a dentist. When she was a child she liked to go to his office and play with mercury. Her grandfather died in 1960, so that was a long time ago.

Unfortunately it wont' come back. Too risky and with technology now it takes to long. Every patient through the door is more money for them...

No, sadly not the old style one.

Sorry but no one gets paid for taking vital signs. Faster temps mean shorter waiting times which you would appreciate.