Pinch the end of the glass crucible with the mercury body end facing down and shake it back and forth to get the temperature below 35 degrees.
A mercury thermometer is a type of thermometer, made of glass and containing a column of mercury that rises with body temperature. It is widely used in the medical field and in ordinary households, and is generally available in pharmacies. Considering the dangers of mercury in mercury thermometers, many countries have adopted bans on them, with Sweden banning the sale of all mercury-containing medical devices as early as 1992.
The first thermometer was invented by Galileo in the 16th century, but it wasn't until 300 years later that a thermometer was designed that was easy to use and reliable, with mercury stored in a ball of mercury at the end. When the mercury is heated, it expands and rises up the very narrow glass tube. So, a small change in body temperature causes a large rise in the mercury in the glass tube, and after the temperature is taken, the thermometer has to be shaken vigorously to get the mercury back into the mercury bulb.
Banning:
Considering the mercury hazard of mercury thermometers, many countries have taken measures to ban them. As early as 1992, Sweden has banned the sale of all mercury-containing medical devices, and the United Kingdom, France, Denmark and the Netherlands have successively banned the use and sale. In the United States, 13 states and cities, including San Francisco, Boston and Michigan, have banned the sale of mercury thermometers since 2000.
But China has not banned the use of mercury thermometers, which are widely used in the medical field and in homes, and can be purchased in some pharmacies. Data from the China Medical Devices Industry Association shows that in 2008, the national production of mercury thermometers consumed 109.25 tons of mercury, which is equivalent to 21.85 billion standard mercury-containing energy-saving lamps. According to statistics, the country produces about 120 million mercury-containing thermometers each year, and China has more than 10 tons of mercury each year due to mercury thermometer breakage as waste disposal.