THE ELEMENTS OF THE METRIC SYSTEM. 
33 
QUININE FROM CINCHONAS GROWN IN INDIA. 
Our readers will learn with much interest that quinine and cinchonine have 
already been extracted from the bark of cinchona-trees cultivated in India. 
A short time since Mr. MTvor, the superintendent of the cinchona plantations 
in India, forwarded to this country a box containing specimens of cinchona 
bark of two years’ growth, etc., from the Neilgherry Hills. These samples were 
transmitted to Mr. Howard for analysis, who obtained from them crystallizations 
of very white sulphate of quinine, as also some cinchonine, and sulphate of cin- 
chonidine. This must be regarded as a most satisfactory result, and more es¬ 
pecially so, as, according to Mr. Howard, the amount of alkaloids thus obtained 
appears to him to be quite as great as would be yielded by the bark of South 
American cinchonas of the same age. 
THE ELEMENTS OE THE METRIC SYSTEM. 
The metric system consists of four principal measures—the metre (unit of 
length), the are (unit of land measure), the litre, unit of capacity, and the 
gramme (unit of weight). The three last are derived from the metre thus:—The 
are is the surface of a square whose side is equal to ten metres ; the litre is the 
capacity of a cube whose edge is the tenth part of a metre; and the gramme is 
the weight of a cube of pure water, at maximum density, whose edge is the hun¬ 
dredth part of a metre. 
The subdivisions and multiples of these elements are formed digitally, as in 
the ordinary principles of arithmetic numeration. Each of the following deno¬ 
minations is equal to one-tenth of the preceding one in the same series, the pre¬ 
fixes being of Latin derivation for the subdivisions, and of Greek origin for the 
multiples. 
For measures of length:—The millimetre (1000th of a metre), centimetre 
(100th), decimetre (10th), metre (unit), decametre (10 times), hectometre (100 
times), kilometre (1000 times), and myriametre (10,000 times). 
For land measure :—The centiare, deciare, are, decare, hectare. 
For capacity :—The millilitre, centilitre, decilitre, litre, decalitre, hectolitre, 
and kilolitre. 
For weights :—The milligramme, centigramme, decigramme, gramme, deca¬ 
gramme, hectogramme, kilogramme, myriagramme, quintal, and ton, or millier. 
All these divisions are capable of being used as secondary units. 
The metre is the ten-millionth part of the distance of the pole of the earth 
from the equator, measured on a great circle, and is equivalent to 39-37079 
inches English, or 1-094 yard. A millimetre = 0-039 inch; centimetre = 0-394 
inch ; decimetre = 3-937 inches ; decametre = 32-809 feet = 10-936 yards; ki¬ 
lometre = 1093-633 yards=4-971 furlongs = 0’621 mile; myriametre = 49-710 
furlongs = 6-214 miles. 
The are, or square of the decametre (100 square metres), is = 119*603 square 
yards = 3-954 perches. The centiare, or square metre, = 1-196 square yards ; 
the deciare = 11-96 square yards; the decare = 1196*033 square yards = 39’538 
perches ; the hectare = 395-383 perches = 2-471 acres. 
For liquid measure:—The centilitre = 0-018 pint; decilitre = 0*176 pint; 
litre = 1*761 pint; decalitre = 8-804 quarts; hectolitre = 22-010 gallons = 
2-751 bushels for dry measure ; kilolitre = 27*512 bushels = 220-097 gallons. 
For weights :—The gramme = weight of a cubic centimetre of pure water = 
15-432 troy grains; the milligramme = 0-015 grain; centigramme = 0*154 
grain ; decigramme = 1*543 grain ; decagramme = 5*644 avoirdupois drachms ; 
hectogramme = 3-527 avoirdupois ounces ; kilogramme = 2*205 avoirdupois 
YOL. Y. D 
