Holy crap! I wasn't aware you could still get mercury thermometers.
Apparently in England, they give them out for free at student health centers. I'm pretty sure it's mercury, anyway...no other thermometer substance does the millions-of-gleaming-little-balls thing, does it?
I wouldn't be surprised if the carpet (and perhaps vaccuum) have to be scrapped.
I've read conflicting reports on whether they should or not. For my peace of mind, I wish they would take the carpet up, but the porter and janitors I talked to said, "nah, it's fine...want us to vaccuum for you?" to which I promptly replied, "No thanks!" So I've been attacking my carpet with duct tape at various points all through the day...I think I'm to the point where it's doing me worse to bend over for that long an inhale all the dust than it is just to leave whatever little remnants that I can't see down there. I think I got almost all of it up, anyway...I collected quite the blob with a bit of stiff plastic and a Ziploc bag.
There isn't that much mercury in a thermometer, so you're probably fine.
Yeah...my mom says she and her sisters played with mercury out of broken thermometers when they were kids, so I figure I'm not doing too badly in comparison. ;) Plus kids and pregnant women seem to be the most at risk for any harm coming from it.
Let me know how it goes and I hope you feel much better soon! < big hugs >
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-01-16 09:00 am (UTC)Apparently in England, they give them out for free at student health centers. I'm pretty sure it's mercury, anyway...no other thermometer substance does the millions-of-gleaming-little-balls thing, does it?
I wouldn't be surprised if the carpet (and perhaps vaccuum) have to be scrapped.
I've read conflicting reports on whether they should or not. For my peace of mind, I wish they would take the carpet up, but the porter and janitors I talked to said, "nah, it's fine...want us to vaccuum for you?" to which I promptly replied, "No thanks!" So I've been attacking my carpet with duct tape at various points all through the day...I think I'm to the point where it's doing me worse to bend over for that long an inhale all the dust than it is just to leave whatever little remnants that I can't see down there. I think I got almost all of it up, anyway...I collected quite the blob with a bit of stiff plastic and a Ziploc bag.
There isn't that much mercury in a thermometer, so you're probably fine.
Yeah...my mom says she and her sisters played with mercury out of broken thermometers when they were kids, so I figure I'm not doing too badly in comparison. ;) Plus kids and pregnant women seem to be the most at risk for any harm coming from it.
Let me know how it goes and I hope you feel much better soon! < big hugs >
Thanks. :)