Merthiolate Tincture Topical

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The nurse’s office may contain more elemental mercury than any other place in the school. This heavy metal gives off poisonous vapors which is harmful to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and can cause neurological damage. Children and pregnant women are at high risk, yet mercury containing devices are common in our schools. In the nurse’s office, you will find:

Blood Pressure Monitoring Devices – Sphygmomanometers

Blood Pressure gauges (sphygmomanometers) usually contain several POUNDS of mercury. Because mercury is such a dense metal, more than 13 times as dense as water, it does not take up much space; approximately 34 milliliters is little more than 2 tablespoons. The wall mounted units you see in the hospital contain up to 110 grams of mercury. When a blood pressure gauge is broken, it releases a great amount of mercury into the environment. Sometimes, the seriousness of this breakage is overlooked or not fully appreciated.

Mercury containing blood pressure monitoring devices are used in the nurse’s office, the football field, the gym, and classroom. They will be found anywhere the nurse is summoned to provide care or first aid. These cuffs can be dropped on the ground or cement floors, and although durable, they do break, releasing mercury into the atmosphere.

The EPA is urging the schools to replace the older mercury containing sphygmomanometers. There are electronic (digital) models available as well as aneroid blood pressure devices which are just as effective and accurate.

Mercury Fever Thermometers

Glass thermometers with the little silver bulb contain between 0.5 and 1.5 grams of mercury. These glass thermometers are fragile and easily broken. They are often dropped and even the process of ’shaking down’ the thermometer has seen the delicate glass snap, throwing mercury beads all over the room.

A good alternative is a digital thermometer which requires AA batteries or button cell batteries. These thermometers are accurate and quick. There are also gallium-indium-tin and dot matrix models available through medical supply companies. All of these non-mercury thermometers use disposable, protective plastic sheaths over the measurement device, which eliminates the need for the disinfection.

Topical Disinfectants

Tincture of Merthiolate and mercurochrome, once a mainstay in the nurse’s office, both contain mercury. They have generally been replaced by equally effective alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

Solutions Kept In The Nurse’s Office For Students

It is a matter of individual school policy but many elementary schools and some middle schools require that nasal sprays and contact solution be kept in the nurse’s office. Several of these solutions contain thimerisol, phenylmercuric acetate, or phenylmercuric nitrate, all containing mercury. There are several alternatives on the market today which are equally effective but are free of mercury. 

Visit Spill911.com to learn more about Mercury Spill Kits. Visit our industrial safety blog for more articles on safety in the workplace.

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