MEASURERS OF CAPACITY. 



1 millilitre usually spoken of as a cubic centimetre and 



consequently abbreviated c.c. 0.001 litre 16.89 min. 



1 centilitre abbreviated CL 0.01 litre 0.352 fl.oz. 



1 decilitre abbreviated DL 0.1 litre 0.1759 pint 



1 litre (the volume at 4C of 1,000 grammes of distilled water), 

 abbreviated L 35.196 fl. oz., 1.7598 pints 



The cubic centimetre that is a cube each of whose sides is a square cen- 

 timetre is the unit of cubic capacity; it is usually considered to be of such 

 a volume as to contain exactly one millilitre of distilled water at 4C. It 

 is according to the Pharmacopoeia equivalent to 0.99984 millilitre. The 

 term cubic centimetre is, however, used in place of millilitre throughout 

 the Pharmacopoeia and this book. The British Pharmaceutical Codex 

 has introduced a new term intended to supersede this use of cubic centimetre 

 The term introduced is "mil" an obvious abbreviation of millilitre. It 

 has the added advantage that using the plan of the metric system, dimin- 

 utives may readily be constructed to express quantities smaller than one 

 cubic centimetre; ; this using this term 0.12 c.c. may be read twelve 

 centimils, or 0.7 c.c. seven decimils. 



Domestic Measures. A teaspoonful is a convenient but inaccurate 

 measure and is considered as roughly equivalent to I fluid drachm (or 

 3.5 c.c.) a dessertspoonful is similarly considered to be equal to 2 fluid 

 drachms (7c.c.) and a tablespoonful equivalent to a half fluid ounce (or 

 14 c.c.). A wineglassful though, too inaccurate for use in medicine is 

 usually stated to be equal to 1^-2 fluid ounces, similarly a teacupful 

 is estimated as 5 fluid ounces and a tumblerful as one half pint or 10 fluid 

 ounces. A minim is considered to be equal to one drop but as the size 

 of a drop varies with the viscosity of the fluid and the point from which it 

 is dropped it is not to be considered an at all accurate measure. Graduated 

 measures may now be obtained so cheaply that every physician should 

 insist upon their use. 



