THE INTRODUCTION OF METRICAL WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 631 
for immediate adoption by the commission, for Mr. Graham is known to be 
favourable to the introduction of the metrical system at the earliest practicable 
time, and he would not have suggested so slight a measure of legislation if a 
more sweeping change had been in prospect. This proposition, however, serves 
to indicate the views that are entertained among eminent men who have care¬ 
fully studied the subject as to the safest and best method of bringing about the 
change which is looked for as a probable result at no very distant period. It 
is very satisfactory to find the Pharmaceutical Society referred to in the way it 
is in this communication, and it ought to stimulate those connected with the 
Society to endeavour to justify the anticipations which have been formed of the 
probable results of their labours and influence in promoting a reform of our 
weights and measures. 
I have brought the subject forward on this occasion for the purpose of raising 
a discussion upon it; and the suggestions 1 have thrown out may, I hope, 
serve to call forth the expression of opinion upon the points I have alluded to, 
and induce others to contribute in the same direction. 
Mr. Haselden said they were very much indebted to Dr. Redwood for 
bringing this subject before them, because he was quite sure that some day or 
other they would be compelled to adopt metrical weights aud measures in phar¬ 
macy. France had adopted this system since the 1st January, 1840 ; Belgium 
since 1836; Holland as far back as 1821 ; Greece in 1836 ; Spain in 1859 ; 
Portugal in 1863 ; and nearly all the other nations of the world had adopted 
them at intermediate dates. As far as the public were concerned, he did not 
think they cared a straw whether they had the metric or any other system, as 
they looked at quantity and not at the particular weight. With regard to 
pharmacists, they ought really to become acquainted with the system. One 
reason why they should do that was that as travelling became more general, 
they had continually at the West-end of London, and no doubt in other parts, 
prescriptions brought over from abroad, in which the weights used were those 
of the metric system. It was necessary that every assistant who did any dis¬ 
pensing should know the value of the weights of the metric system, so as to 
approximate them to our own. Another reason was, that the examiners in¬ 
tended for the future that the young gentlemen who intended to pass should be 
examined in the metric system. That was put down upon their papers some 
three or four years ago, but not always enforced. He believed that after the 
1st of October it would be uniformly enforced. If it came to him, he should 
certainly enforce it. The sooner, therefore, students became acquainted with 
the system the better. Dr. Redwood had alluded to the plan of giving the 
metric weights equivalent to their own weights in the Pharmacopoeia. He 
(Mr. Haselden) would very much rather that the young gentlemen did that 
work themselves. It would do them a great deal more good than if they saw 
it in print. There was nothing so likely to fix a thing upon a young man’s 
mind as the finding of it out himself. He hoped the generality of them would 
see the necessity of becoming acquainted with this system. Whether it was 
better than their own or not he was not prepared to say. He should be glad if 
the young people would make up their miuds to study the question, and become 
thoroughly acquainted with it, so that when the time came and it was forced 
upon them they would be able to adopt it. 
Dr. Attfield quite concurred in all that had fallen from Dr. Redwood re¬ 
garding the subject before them ; in fact, he congratulated the friends aud 
pioneers of the metric system on the adhesion of so able, and, he might say, prac¬ 
tical, an advocate as his colleague Professor Redwood. For himself, he regarded 
the universal employment of this system as simply a question of time; and when 
that result ensued, as he was sure it would ensue, it would doubtless be because 
