I touched it as well, so I googled how fucked we are now:
As long as you don't expose your skin to the metal too much and you wash your hands after then you would be fine. If any mercury did absorb through your skin then the amount will be so small then you would urinate it out, leaving no mercury in your body and meaning it won't build up to harmful amounts.
When I was maybe 12 or 13 I dropped the thermometer on the floor and the Mercury came out of course. I don't know how long I sat on the floor rolling it around with my fingers but I was so fascinated by it. I had no idea it was poisonous. I even had it in the palm of my hand rolling it around. 🤦
It's mercury, it doesn't behave quite the same way water does.
The surface tension is much much higher, so it doesn't just spill and continue spreading until it hits a wall.
Instead it stays together in a puddle, or forms beads.
You can definitely pick the smaller beads up with a piece of paper or something like that.
Maybe with nails if yours are long enough.
I remember scooping it up with something. I don't remember what it was. A piece of paper or something like that. I don't remember what I used but I put it in my hand and rolled it around. I was so fascinated by it. It wasn't my brightest moment, but I also would have never touched it if I would have known it was dangerous. No wonder my memory sucks at 46.
It's the breathing it that is more of an issue. Hell, even drinking it would be less toxic if you have no wounds in your mouth or digestive tract (obviously don't try that though). Keeping it around in an open container or a sink P-trap (remember, mercury is heavy and will likely just sit there) will lead to hazardous exposure to mercury fumes.
Yeah, I drank a thermometers worth and was fine. My mom was told the same thing by poison control about how I should be fine with no sores, and she was surprised, to say the least
When I was a toddler I got my hands on one, my mom found me with it cracked open in my mouth and empty. I'd be more embarrassed about it if it was a memory I could even remember, I was too young
Yeah we've been told to FEAR the mercury but really the issues are prolonged exposures or taking a mercury bath. Touching it one time is not deadly or really THAT dangerous.
the pure elemental form of it isnt as dangerous as we made it. ofc its still plenty dangerous but you can technically touch it. the ionic forms such as mercury chloride is the really REALLY dangerous. dont even handle it or go near it
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u/FunSushi-638 Dec 15 '24
I touched it as well, so I googled how fucked we are now:
As long as you don't expose your skin to the metal too much and you wash your hands after then you would be fine. If any mercury did absorb through your skin then the amount will be so small then you would urinate it out, leaving no mercury in your body and meaning it won't build up to harmful amounts.
TL;DR we're ok.