Dangers by taking the rectal temperature ?

@Kermit79 I think the issue is that the rectal thermometer was photo shopped inside the pelvis which based on the x-ray can't be possible.

I searched out the radiograph. It doesn't pay to jump to conclusions. It is real. The visual transparency of glass has NOTHING to do with its radiopacity and glass will appear radiopaque on an X-Ray. https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/full/10.1148/rg.233025137

The article states:

Figure 31. Radiograph of a 15-year-old boy shows a rectal thermometer lying free in the peritoneum. Its origin was unknown. He denied inserting any foreign objects into his rectum or urethra. He had had no treatments or hospitalizations since he was 1 year old. (Courtesy of George Barnes, MD.)

If you read that entire website there are MANY amazing radiographs.

There is a radiograph of a two year old girl with a bobby pin lying horizontally in her bladder that gives the same radiographic impression two images before the thermometer image.

If you have any doubt about the veracity of these images, see the book, STUCK UP for a grand compilation.

PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS.

I would be amazed over the course of human existence if someone has not hurt themselves playing with a rectal thermometer. The bowels of human stupidity run deep. I can see cracking them off, sticking them in beyond where they feel comfortable retrieving them, and perforating things.

None of these worry me in the least.

While not a doctor I have a pretty good idea what I am doing and when I play with thermometers, short of some kind of catastrophic defect in the thermometer itself, it is not going to snap, I am not ever going to insert it hard or fast enough to crack it or perforate anything, and I never insert it far enough to make losing it an issue.

When you hear things like people losing them or breaking them etc etc you really have to consider some of the other stupid things people have done. From marmonts to light bulbs, and lets not forget the cement enema. As I said there is almost no depth to human stupidity.

If is seems like a bad idea, don't do it without some research. If you can't find any sound advice, go slow and be aware of what you are doing.

Play smart and safe.

@reggind That pretty much sums it up. Just use common sense. Humans are pretty prone to errors though, but just using some sense helps...

@caresabouthealth I don't get off on hurting people, unless they want a bit of a tingle and I definitely don't hurt people in ways that should not hurt. That is I might give you a nice resounding smart on your ass with the back of my hand, and that is assuming you are into that, I would *never* poke you in the ass with a thermometer hard enough to cause similar pain. If you wanna get people to let you play doctor with them, you have to be trustworthy and make it a good experience for them.

@reggind Whoa whoa whoa. I was not trying to incite a fight. I don't get off on hurting people either and I'm not doing that to you so please stop. I was just agreeing with the common sense part.

@reggind " and lets not forget the cement enema."

Cement enema? I don't think I have heard that one before!

@SwitchableSusie I know, but with kids it's the caregivers that need to watch over the kids. They always put stuff in their mouths.

The issue I have with the x-ray is if it is a Mercury thermometer, then how come you don't see that showing up. But then on the other hand, it could be different medium being used. I would say they are lucky the thing didn't break as it is a PITA to remove.

Who gives themselves a cement enema though?! SMH.

I first heard of this years ago. It took all of 15 seconds to google "cement enema" This site seems to give good references.

http://scicurious.scientopia.org/2013/05/31/friday-weird-science-the-concrete-enema/

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/scicurious-brain/friday-weird-science-the-concrete-enema/

Snopes had no hits though so you judge if it is real or not....

The story of the concrete enema was about 30 YEARS ago. They did it because they wanted a cast of the guy's rectum except after the cement set, he could not expel it.

Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1987 Jun;8(2):179-82.

This cement ename story reminds me on the 1968 detective film "The lady in cement" where the body of a dead woman is found in the sea, her feet encased in a block of cement.

Master Dorson said

The issue I have with the x-ray is if it is a Mercury thermometer, then how come you don't see that showing up. But then on the other hand, it could be different medium being used. I would say they are lucky the thing didn't break as it is a PITA to remove.

Glass is radiopaque and pieces as small as 2 mm will show up on a radiograph.

Do a google search. Glass is radiopaque enough that on x-ray, especially reproduced, the mercury column does not stand out.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361112475800554

MAKE NO MISTAKE. The visual transparency of an object has NOTHING to do with how it appears on a radiograph.

I love all these Web MD "experts" on radiology. I don't claim to be an expert but I saw this image on the same medical site SwitchableSusie linked to years ago. Note that the link I posted was to another site because I couldn't find the original.

It would be difficult to lose a thermometer, even a U.S. style one up the rectum but it does happen.

Svensson said

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

Where did you get that idea?

What rectal thermometer is disposable/single use?

Bet he is thinking of those disposable forehead strips. But those aren't for rectal use, so it makes no sense.

Are those disposable head strips better than the ear thermometer? Most likely not. So the disposable strips measure by degrees not pH right?

Liquid crystal thermometers measure temperature. They use thermochromic liquid crystals in a plastic strip that change colour to indicate different temperatures. They can be quite accurate, the resolution of liquid crystal sensors is in the 0.1°C range. I am not sure why you would toss one after one use though.

The only thermometer that I ever saw that was disposable were rectal thermometers that they used in the hospital in the early 1960's.

@reggind Cool. Thank you.

It is only dangerous if the person taking the rectal temperature (using a glass rectal thermometer) if not performing this activity correctly. It is not rocket science.

SwichchableSusie,

Sorry for this misanderstanding about différences between US and European thermometers. It seems that I was misinformed by an American girlfriend in a conversation we had a very long time ago (end of the 60's).