Comments on: Doctor, I Need To Buy A Thermometer

By: October 14 roundup

October 14 roundup — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:47:35 +0000

[...] Wisconsin governor signs bill requiring prescription to buy mercury thermometer [Popehat] [...]

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:50:11 +0000

As I live in the Glorious Worker's Paradise of Wisconsin, AKA the nanny state, I had not heard of this piece of stupid legislation. Nobody uses those thermometers anymore. The kindergarten thing is stupid also. It will affect about 100 kids, and there is exception if you are home schooling your kid of kindergarten age. Also, the drunk driving legislation here is a joke. Lets tax hard liquor and that will pay for the costs of greater enforcement. It will just go into a rat hole, and how about taxing beer or just criminalize 1st offense DWI? Rant over. Thank you.

By: matthew

matthew — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:15:20 +0000

I think there are much better reasons to pick on Gov. Doyle.

Frankenstein Veto anyone?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/29335219.html

By: David Schwartz

David Schwartz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:32:12 +0000

I think this is effectively equivalent to outlawing the sale of mercury thermometers. I can't think of any scenario in which a doctor would write such a prescription. If anyone ever got poisoned by the mercury, the doctor would have to defend his prescription, which is essentially impossible since a digital thermometer is just as good for any conceivable medical situation.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 22:30:30 +0000

When I was but a wee lad, I bit into a mercury thermometer when my mother was out of the room. I could not state with reliability whether or not I had swallowed said mercury (I was watching, if memory serves, Bert and/or Ernie), so a trip to the ER was called for.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:20:12 +0000

Well DUH Dirk! It was a rhetorical question.

By: Dirk D

Dirk D — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:18:13 +0000

Patrick

It makes the governor look like he is protecting the children without actually doing anything at all.

Very shrewd pandering.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:08:33 +0000

Then why pass a law mandating a prescription for it at all? Why not outlaw it? Mustn't we do everything in our power to protect children from mercury?

By: James

James — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:58:52 +0000

You leave out the important part where the thermometer has to contain mercury. I don't even know where you'd find a mercury thermometer to buy.

By: Dirk D

Dirk D — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:18:16 +0000

Why would anybody use a mercury thermometer for taking a person's temperature? It's not like you need research level accuracy. Most are either alcohol based or digital these days anyway.