Shell Temperature
The temperature of the skin or tissues immediately underlying the skin is called shell temperature. This temperature includes the temperature of the skin, subcutaneous tissues, and muscle and it is more affected by external temperature. This is vital because when the temperature is used to decide the relative health of an individual.
Shell temperature
- Rise and falls within the temperature of the surroundings.
- 1°F less than core temperature.
- Normal value: 98 – 98.60 F
- Less accurate
- Determined by measuring as an oral and auxiliary temp.
Fig: Shell Temperature
Sites for measuring of Shell body temperature: Oral under the tongue, Axilla, and Groin.
This temperature during the morning hours and the 24-hour action pattern have been studied in the two distinct morphs of the polymorphic land snail Cepaea vindobonensis. Shell temperatures between the two morphs differed considerably when snails were placed in the sun and the body temperature difference was about 1°C.
In an unconscious patient: Rectum and Axilla. Rectal measurements may be as much as a degree higher, with the average temperature being 99.5 °F. Inversely, axillary measurements tend to be lower, with the average temperature being around 97.7 °F.
