Learn something new every day More Info... by email A digital
ear thermometer is a handheld device that measures an
individual’s body temperature via a short probe which is
inserted into his ear canal. Advocates of the digital ear
thermometer hold that the device is noninvasive, works quickly,
is hygienic, and is safer to use than mercury thermometers. Many
health experts question the value of the digital ear
thermometer, however, arguing that it is difficult to properly
place and thus prone to false readings, and that it is not safe
for use in infants. Additionally, digital ear thermometers tend
to be more expensive than the more accurate digital oral
thermometers. Usually, a digital ear thermometer consists of a
tube-shaped, plastic body which is held in the fist and a short
probe which protrudes from the top of the body. Once this probe
has been inserted into the ear, a “trigger” on the thermometer’s
body is pressed. After a period of a few seconds to a minute,
depending on the thermometer model, a digital