A mercury thermometer is present in almost every home medicine cabinet as a high-precision instrument for measuring body temperature. The only drawback of the device is its fragility, because as a result of breakage from the glass bulb leak dangerous liquid metal. Therefore, mercury poisoning from the thermometer often occurs - symptoms of intoxication can not always be detected immediately due to the fact that the amount of poisonous substance is too small for the emergence of acute pathology.
Symptoms and signs of mercury poisoning with a broken thermometer
The volume of the metal in the standard thermometer is approximately 1 g. This amount of mercury under normal conditions does not pose a serious danger, especially if it was quickly and completely collected, disposed of, and then ventilated.
The fact is that the described liquid metal itself does not accumulate in the body, even after ingestion it is not absorbed, but is eliminated naturally. Mercury poisoning from the thermometer is possible only with its evaporation. This process is associated with the formation of metal salts during its oxidation.
Signs and symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning from the thermometer
Intoxication with the chemical compounds in question occurs when the liquid metal from the broken thermometer is not removed from the room. For example, often mercury balls roll into the crevices of the floors, under the plinth, get stuck in the seams of furniture or children's toys. In such cases, the metal begins to slowly evaporate, causing chronic poisoning. Intoxication manifests itself as follows:
- headache;
- periodic attacks of weakness;
- bleeding and sensitivity of the gums;
- metallic smack in the tongue;
- rare dry cough;
- shortness of breath during physical exertion;
- slight increase in body temperature;
- sometimes - nausea;
- deterioration of concentration and memory;
- tremor of hands ;
- irritability;
- drowsiness;
- Perfection of perception of smells and tastes.
As can be seen, the symptoms of poisoning are nonspecific, similar signs are inherent in various internal diseases and pathological conditions. Accordingly, intoxication with mercury vapor is rarely diagnosed, especially in the early stages. For this reason, doctors recommend that if the thermometer is broken, immediately call the emergency team, even if all the visible balls of metal were carefully collected and disposed of independently.