The meter is divided into 10, 100 and 1000 parts, called respective- 

 ly, decimeter, dm. ; centimeter, cm. ; and millimeter, mm. 



The unit of measure of capacity is the liter, 1. It is equal to 

 the contents of a cube whose edges measure a decimeter and the 

 thousandth part of this is a milliliter (mil) formerly called a cubic 

 centimeter (c.cm. or c.c). The unit of weight is the Gramme (fre- 

 quently written gram) which is "the height of one milliliter of water 

 at 4° Centigrade (39.2°F.) 



Greater or less quantities are designated by adding prefixes 

 to the above. 



Table of Meteic Weights 



In the above tables of weights and measures, the kilogramme 

 is used in commerce and is referred to as a Kilo. The gram, frac- 

 tions of a gram and milligrams are used. In the measures of 

 quantity the Liter and milliliter and fractions of them are used. 



In prescription writing only two units, grams and milliliters 

 are used, abbreviated Gm. and mil. In expressing the quantity of 

 drug in a prescription in the metric system, the quantity is always 

 denoted by the Arabic figure placed before the appellation. . Frac- 

 tional parts are always converted into decimal fi-actions. It is not 

 necessary to. write grams, or milliliters or their abbreviations in a 

 prescription because it is understood that the former will be used 

 as the unit of weight and the latter for the unit of measure. 



