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5. Wipe dry the armpit of the patient as wet skin distorts the thermometer.
6. Inspect the axillary area. In the presence of hyperemia, signs of local in-
flammation, it is impossible to measure the temperature in this area of the body,
since the results will be higher.
7. Place the thermometer tank in the armpit so that it is in full contact with
the skin (press the shoulder to the chest) and the thermometer is in the center
of the armpit.
8. After 10 minutes, remove the thermometer.
9. Write down the thermometer data in the temperature sheet.
10. Shake the thermometer to let all the mercury fall into the tank.
11. Immerse the thermometer in a disinfectant solution.
When measuring the body temperature in the mouth, the thermometer is
placed under the tongue to the right or left of the frenulum.
Fever and its types
Fever
is a symptom of many diseases, that serves an important indicator of
their activity. It plays an important role in protecting the body from infection. Fe-
ver is an increasing of the body temperature above 37 °C measured in the armpit.
There are the following degrees of temperature rise:
37–38 °C low-grade (subfebril) fever;
38–39 °C‑moderately elevated, febrile;
39–41 °C‑high, pyretic;
over 41 °C‑excessively high, hyperpyretic.
The duration of fever may be:
• fleeting – several hours;
• acute – several days;
• subacute – up to 45 days;
• chronic – more than 45 days.
Depending on the daily temperature fluctuations, there are next types of
fever.
Constant fever
: the temperature is constantly high during the day, lasts for
a long time, its daily fluctuations do not exceed 1 °C. It occurs with severe
pneumonia, abdominal and typhoid fever, influenza (Fig.3).
Relaxing (remitting)
fever: characterized by daily temperature fluctuations
exceeding 1 °C, with a minimum daily temperature above 37 °C. Observed in
purulent diseases (abscess, empyema of the gallbladder, wound infection),
malignant tumors (Fig.4).