Thermometer at normal body temperature. Clinical thermometer calibrated in degrees Fahrenheit (F) and Celsius (C). It is showing a temperature of 98.4 F (36.9 C). Average body temperature varies between 36.5 and 37.2 Celsius, and may be measured in the mouth, underarm or rectum. The thermometer consists of a sealed narrow-bore glass tube with a bulb at one end. Mercury inside the tube expands when heated and extends along the scale. The thermometer measures temperatures between 94 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Body temperature is an important indicator of health.