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.
Mercury-in-glass thermometer - See also. 1  Mercury probe, an electrical probing device to sample for electrical characterization. 2  Mercury switch, an electrical circuit, on-off switch using the element mercury. 3  Mercury swivel commutator, an electrical circuit, current-reversing switch using the element mercury.