How did it manage to be off by 32 (!) for freezing, but fairly close for body temperature? I would expect a constant (or at least same ballpark) error.
I imagine it had something to do with the medium used for the thermometer?
That wasn't so reliable, and neither was using 100 for human body temperature, so when he discovered that water boiled at 212 he began calibrating with that.
I imagine it had something to do with the medium used for the thermometer?