[Oral measurement of body temperature. Clinical use of an electronic thermometer (Craftemp)].

A comparative investigation was undertaken of body temperature measured orally and in the axilla with an electronic thermometer (Craftemp) and also rectally with a mercury thermometer. The measurements were performed by the caring staff in a medical department on a total 266 patients. Out of 891 sets of measurements, 27.9% of the oral and 43.1% of the axillary temperature measurements were found to deviate by 1.0 degrees and 1.5 degrees C, respectively, from the rectal temperature measurements. It is concluded that the buccal cavity and the axillary fossa are not suitable sites of measurement of body temperature with Craftemp.