Swallowed Ball Of Mercury From Old Thermometer. What Will Happen?

Posted on Thu, 30 Aug 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 Answered on

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I just used an old thermometer. Must have already been broken. Needless to say the ball of mercury went right down my throat? Anyone know what will happen if anything?

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (2 hours later)

Hello!

Thank you for the query.

Well, I have a very good news for you. Mercury from thermometer is totally harmless when swallowed. It is not absorbed from intestines, so it will go out with stool.
So be careful next time and take care.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar