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.
Uses of mercury. 1  Mercury is used in thermometers and traditional blood pressure monitors. However, today the use of mercury is being phased out for safer mercury-free products. 2  In dentistry amalgam fillings are used for repairing cavities. These contain 50% mercury.