94 PBESCEIPTION WKITING 



But for prescriptions and other small weighings lesser 

 units than the kilo and liter are required and therefore the 

 cube of one-hundredth of a meter is taken and the weight 

 of water which this cube holds is recognized as the unit of 

 weight and called a gram (15,432 grains). The quantity of 

 water contained in the cube of one-hundredth of a meter 

 is used as a unit in measuring capacity in chemical and 

 pharmaceutical practice and termed a cubic centimeter. 

 The multiples of these measures, proceeding in decimal 

 progression, are distinguished by Greek numerals as pre- 

 fixes, ie., Deca-10, Hecto-100, Kilo-1000. The subdivisions 

 of the unit are represented by the Latin prefixes, as Deci-0.1, 

 Centi-0.01, Milli-0.001. Hence, using the gram as the unit, 

 we can arrange a table as follows : 



The metric system has the advantage of being arranged 

 decimally, which makes the computation of percentages 

 easy, and the transference of a quantity of one denomination 

 to that of another, by merely shifting a decimal point. 

 There are other advantages which make' it of value to 

 practitioners. Our present system is not uniform with that 

 of any other country. The English, while using the same 

 nomenclature for weights and measures, put a different 

 yalue upon them. The system has another value, at least 

 theoretically, in having one unit for weights and measures. 

 Thep unit of the fluid measure is 1 cubic centimeter of water, 

 which at 4P 0. weighs one gram. As a matter of fact, 

 fluids are dispensed in the metric system by measuring 

 them in Cc., and if liquids were all of the same density 

 as water, they would be equivalent to grams of water 

 when measured in Cc. Unfortunately, this is not the 

 case. Theoretically, medicine should be dispensed by 



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