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Man Discovers Swallowed Mercury Thermometer After 20 Years

4/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A 32-year-old man from Wenzhou, China, surnamed Wang, learned that a mercury thermometer he swallowed at age 12 remained in his duodenum, risking perforation and severe bleeding.
Doctors at The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University treated him after he sought care for stomach pain.
He had kept the incident secret due to fear and his parents' busy schedules.
The thermometer was removed intact, though its markings had faded.

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Story summary

A 32-year-old man from Wenzhou, China, surnamed Wang, learned that a mercury thermometer he swallowed at age 12 remained in his duodenum, risking perforation and severe bleeding.
Doctors at The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University treated him after he sought care for stomach pain.
He had kept the incident secret due to fear and his parents' busy schedules.
The thermometer was removed intact, though its markings had faded.