Difficult choices as death nears. As the changes described in this article develop in the final days or hours of a progressive terminal illness, difficult choices may arise. There may be questions about whether to provide food and fluids, receive blood transfusions, or treat infections.
The use of mercury in thermometers dates back hundreds of years. It was widely used because it reliably expands and contracts with changes in temperatures. It is highly poisonous, however, and can enter the body through the respiratory or digestive tracts, or directly through the skin.
Inorganic mercury is the liquid metal used in thermometers. In the case of a mercury. thermometer breakage, the respiratory exposure has a minimum importance and it can be. minimized with the following guidelines. You can prevent potential mercury exposure to you and your environment by: â¢ Storing and handling responsibly products that contain mercury. â¢ What to do if a mercury thermometer breaks.