Fever Thermometers

Anyone remember "tampering" with the thermometer when your mother's back was turned, so that you'd show a fever and not have to go to school?

Me, neither. I'd never do something like that. Not me, no. What? Try to fool my mother?

OK, I did it once.....or twice......or maybe a whole lot of times. It never worked.
 

Yes, I have one that's older than I am @debodun

Yes, I tried tampering with it @jujube. I remember in third grade someone told me if you suck on a penny your temp would go up. I did, and it didn't.

@Empty I sure hope you were careful! I remember from same grade there was a boy named Frank. In those days he was called 'stupid' but today he would be in Special Ed. He purposely broke a thermometer in the classroom and the teacher was screaming "It's poison, don't touch it," and I remember the mercury squiggled on the floor like it was a worm.
 
Pepper said:
Yes, I have one that's older than I am @debodun

Yes, I tried tampering with it @jujube. I remember in third grade someone told me if you suck on a penny your temp would go up. I did, and it didn't.

@Empty I sure hope you were careful! I remember from same grade there was a boy named Frank. In those days he was called 'stupid' but today he would be in Special Ed. He purposely broke a thermometer in the classroom and the teacher was screaming "It's poison, don't touch it," and I remember the mercury squiggled on the floor like it was a worm.
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Well, honestly - in childhood, I had a whole AlkaSeltzer bottle full of mercury and used it to make dental fillings (science project, not put in anyone's mouth!) and would play with the stuff for hours... This may be why I have had a poor memory my entire life /-; Also, my dad and I would make lead sinkers - and I would drop the molten lead to make pretty patterns - I guess I am lucky to have any brain cells left!
 
Empty said:
Well, honestly - in childhood, I had a whole AlkaSeltzer bottle full of mercury and used it to make dental fillings (science project, not put in anyone's mouth!) and would play with the stuff for hours... This maybe why I have had a poor memory my entire life /-; Also, my dad and I would make lead sinkers - and I would drop the molten lead to make pretty patterns - I guess I am lucky to have any brain cells left!
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No one told you it was Poison? Your dad didn't know? Well, glad you're still here, with us!😰
 
Empty said:
I'm not sure when scientists learned how toxic it was - but, my father was the one who liked me - I'm sure he didn't try to damage me on purpose! Thanks - I'm glad I'm here, too!
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It was discovered to be poisonous in 1810 and formerly recognized as such in 1823. It should have been common knowledge. You know those spirally light bulbs? They have mercury in them, must be carefully disposed of, and I don't believe enough folks know that.
 
Pepper said:
It was discovered to be poisonous in 1810 and formerly recognized as such in 1823. It should have been common knowledge. You know those spirally light bulbs? They have mercury in them, must be carefully disposed of, and I don't believe enough folks know that.
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This thread got me thinking and looking into it: "regulatory safeguards established in the 1960s and 1970s are now known to be inadequate, but improvements have been deferred in light of scientific uncertainties. For example, although it remains unknown whether a “safe” threshold exists for prenatal and early-life exposure to methylmercury, evidence of methylmercury damage to neurodevelopment has been accumulating since the 1950s." My 'exposures' happened between 1955 to around 1962. And now, I have to worry about the free light bulbs that the electric company passed out? I have them in the kitchen in recessed lights (the only place they fit) and only recently found out that they shouldn't have been installed there because of the hmmm.... slider switch thing. That may be why they didn't last, but they are still up there. Now, I have to figure out how to get rid of them. Thanks for the warning!
 
I have an old mercury thermometer. In 7th grade, the science teacher passed a bowl of mercury around & had us put our hands in it. He said, "You'll see that it feels interesting because it's both a liquid & a solid at the same time."
I did find it interesting, so when I got home, I broke our thermometer so I could play with the mercury.
 
Hey, sell 'em on ebay for a hundred bucks or more...lets face it, you can't find thermometers these days.
 
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