Dangers by taking the rectal temperature ?

It is just out of curiosity ... but there is some danger ?

Yes if done incorrectly their can be. Infection, puncture of rectum, broken thermoter, ect

There is a slight risk to anything you do depending on how clumsy you are.

If you aren't careful you can drown while drinking a glass of water.

Yes, but damned little. If that level of risk concerns you, you'd best not get out of bed in the morning. Oh wait...that puts you at risk of venous thrombophlebitis plus enhanced risk of cardiovascular disease thru deconditioning. I guess you really are screwed!

^^^^ That's funny!

The most realistic danger of using a glass mercury thermometer, is the glass, and mercury ! One can inflict a nasty cut, the other can be toxic. Imagine ending up in the hospital, because you tried to take your temperature ! I'm sure the medical staff has seen it all.

You know there's danger at every turn. Lightning can strike you. Flash floods. Earthquakes. Rabid dogs. Asteroids. Tsunamis. Slipping on banana peels. Getting OLD. It's pretty terrifying. Better stay in bed.

And the biggest problem with mercury is to pick it up from the floor if you break the thermometer.

Yes because liquid elemental mercury is not really toxic. You could have fun ny letting the kids pick it up

Rayme, liquid elemental mercury is not really toxic, but its vapors are very toxic. If left on the floor it would "dry out" in time - evaporate - inhalation of its vapors in an unaired room certainly doesn't do any good to you.

^^^ Liquid Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal & therefore is toxic...Effects include damage to the brain, kidneys & lungs if ingested....Secondly the quantity of liquid mercury contained within a thermometer ampoule (usually up to 3g /.3 to 1.7dr) would be of such a miniscule amount as to barely render a protozoa senseless....Many countries banned mercury-in-glass-thermometers for medical use due to the toxicity of Mercury.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_poisoning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mercury-in-glass_thermometer

www.heracliteanriver.com/?p=246

I shouldn't have been so categorical in stating liquid elemental mercury is non-toxic, Australian. Clearly there is some toxicity. Quoting from the Wiki article you linked, " Mercury (chemical symbol Hg) is a heavy metal occurring in several forms. All of these, except elemental liquid mercury (for which intravenous injection of a comparable volume can be nonlethal[1]) produce toxicity or death with less than a gram. Elemental mercury does cause damage by blocking blood vessels." As you noted, the amount contained in a clinical thermometer is pretty harmless. For the record, I have attended several patients who drank too much water and presented with serum sodiums in the neighborhood of 110-113 and intractable seizures. Nothing is completely harmless.

I don't think there is any danger in taking a rectal temperature, as long as you know what you are doing.

If you know what you are doing when taking a rectal temperature, there will be not danger. Taking a rectal temperature is very easy. I laid over my mom's lap every time when she took my rectal temperature. Just separate the cheeks and insert the thermometer into the rectum real easy between 1 to 2 inches as directed and hold the child still with one hand by putting it on the lower part of its back and taking the other hand to hold the thermometer in place. When time to read the results, be gentle when pulling it out. Just follow directions and will not have any problems or danger.

Elemental mercury is LESS toxic, but still toxic, and in nature it can get turned into organomercury compounds. That's what happened in Minamata Bay.

Best to be careful with it.

Think ..

in mercury the glass

and take care. you are busy with a body of yourself or another.

stop at pain

if something is broken, do not use it

use your brain

Oh gosh! Some of these comments are worse than my kids' attempts to get out of having their temp taken!

Now, enough! Pull down your pants (or skirt), lay on your tummy, and let's get this over with!

They might develop a fetish!

Common sense has died a horrible death with some people... Or was that Mercury poisoning....

Growing up, my mother was very careful when using a rectal thermometer. She made gentle insertions and cautioned us to "lay still" while the thermometer was registering in the rectum. If a patient of hers moved, she would withdraw the thermometer and start over. Oftentimes, she held the thermometer between her fingers, like holding a cigarette while the palm of her hand rested on the bottom and held the child in place.

It can be done safely, or it can be done dangerously, like enemas, hot tubs, or use of power saws. Probably safer than the power saws.

Truthfully, no. I mean come on you aren't jabbing it in. You're gently inserting it to check someone's body temp for their health.

Actually it is quite dangerous. The first time I did a rectal temp with my late partner she squeezed it so hard it shot out a couple of feet. After that I always wore safety glasses when doing her temp. You only have 2 eyes people!

The thermometer could get lost inside the rectum. I have seen x-rays that show a thermometer lodged inside the lower large intestine.

Pregnancy. When a girl takes my rectal temperature it makes me, well, rather randy and one thing can lead to another, just saying.

DoctorJohny2,

I have noticed that thermometers are different in Europe and in the States.

European thermometers are bigger, wider and have a pointed tip for insertion.

US thermometer are usually for one time use, which is not the case of the European instruments.

I think it would require special skills to loose a European thermometer in your body.

For those who doubt:

https://medapparatus.com/ForeignBodies/Images/Thermometer.jpg

For those who doubt:

https://medapparatus.com/ForeignBodies/Images/Thermometer.jpg

OMG! CUT ME A BREAK! That is one of the worst photoshop jobs I have ever seen! You can tell that the object that appears to be a thermometer if superimposed and the contrast of a thermometer, a clear and transparent object would appear opaque in an x-ray. Apart from which I am not quite sure because there seem to be a second superimposed image if in the third level that is a pelvis, a uterus, and it appears to be the spine! Also, look how perfectly aligned the object is on the lateral. No way! THIS IS PURE CRAP!

Common sense and the stats are the guidelines.

@DoctorJohnny2 It really frosts me when people post stuff like this and don't stop to think how idiotic it really is, how much it can scare someone needlessly, or the combination of both! The BS of this "x-ray" is obvious to anyone of average intelligence! You don't need to be a radiologist. A 12 year old with any photo editing software experience will give you your answer!

Play safe (and be smart!)

Can someone please describe that x-ray. I don't get it.

Why do you think European and US thermometers are different?