Hello!

I was wondering why can't a clinical thermometer (whose range is between 35 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius) can't be sterilised using boiling water? And how can be sterilised then? :confused:

Thanks in advance!

Do you realise that if you put it in boiling water, you'll be exposing it to 100 C, which is beyond the range of the thermometer?

The simple reason is that the thermometer might and will surely break. As to where it breaks, I'll ask you this for you to think about it a little. :)


Some people first wash with distilled water and then alcohol, then put the thermometer in a UV box. But I don't know the actual method they use in hospitals.

EDIT: wikipedia might help you:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterilization_(microbiology)

A friend of mine said that to sterilise the thermometer we must warm the metallic tip and then apply cold water to it, can we do this to sterilise it?

If by warming you are not exceeding 42 C, then I would think it's okay.

I just asked my mother, and she told me that in hospitals here now, they use a device that they sort of clip on a patient's ear and get the temperature, which is disposable, hence there is no need for sterilisation.

But I don't know the actual method they use in hospitals.

We don't use that kind of thermometer in hospitals. ;)

We use digital thermometers that have disposable protective covers over the wand.

Oh, yeah, we also use temporal thermometers that we just rub over the forehead and temple of the patient then wipe it down with an alcohol pad when we are done.