1S87.] 'JOD [Taylor. 



experience and accumulated knowledge of the healing art, the laboriously 

 ascertained anrl accurately observed relations and values of all ihe more 

 active portion of the ^lateria Medica, but it is the measure which, outside 

 of the medical and pharmaceutical professions, is the one almost univer- 

 sally employed as the unit of comparison for all minute investigations and 

 precise determinations. 



If either one should be adopted, the other would have to be abandoned ; 

 and upon a careful consideration, notwithstanding the great importance 

 of the grain, it is believed that the inch would be retained with less dis- 

 turbance and witli much greater advantage than the grain. Should the 

 metric system be adopted, both the inch and the grain must be discarded. 



Within a few years past various schemes have been proposed for pro- 

 moting uniformity, but unless some one of them could be universally 

 adopted, the confusion and complication would be increased instead of 

 being diminished. 



Prof. Oscar Oldberg has proposed for adoption by pharmacists and phy- 

 sicians, a new system based upon the " Ornmme ;"* he proposes to divide 

 the gramme into sixteen parts called " grains," thus making a new grain, 

 a little smaller than our present grain ; four grammes to make a drachm, 

 8 drachms to make an ounce, and 16 ounces to make a pound ; the pound 

 would thus consist of 8193 new grains, or about 7900 troy grains. 



Even if this scheme should be adopted universally by pharmacists and 

 physicians, which does not appear probable, it would but increase the 

 difficulties under which we are now laboring ; it would only add one 

 more to our already long list of tables of weights and measures to be 

 learned. 



There is no good reason why pharmacists or jewelers, or any other class of 

 individuals, should have a special scale of weights and measures ; many 

 of the evils experienced by them are those prevailing in all departments, 

 and no improvements or reform can be either efficient or enduring which 

 do not look to the welflire of the whole. It will be found impossible to 

 give exclusive and confined attention to the weights and measures of any 

 one profession ; there is absolute necessity of conformity among all the 

 measures of trade and commerce, and of the reference of all to common 

 laws and to a single standard. 



These remarks will also apply to the scheme proposed by Mr. Wm. L. 

 Turner for the use of pharmacists, published in the Proceedings of the 

 Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Association, 188G. 



Mr. Turner proposes to divide the " Gramme" into 15 parts called 

 " grains;" to make the ounce equal to 500 of these grains, and the pound 

 equal to 14 ounces, or equal to about 7200 troy grains. 



Before attempting any change it should be well considered whether we 

 have attained all the benefit within our reach, or whether at no greater 

 cost we might not reap the advantages of a far more perfect sj'stem. 



♦Manual of "Weights and Measures. By Oscar Oldberg, Pharm. D. Second edition. 

 Chicago, 1887. 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXIV. 126. 2s. PRINTED DEC. 2, 1887. 



