THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
SECOND SERIES. 
VOL. VII.—No. IX.—MARCH 1st,. 1806. 
PHARMACEUTICAL WEIGHTS AND MEASURES EROM A 
PRACTICAL POINT OE VIEW. 
In the last number of this Journal, at page 407, we inserted some remarks, 
by Professor Guibourt, of Paris, on the subject of English pharmaceutical 
weights and measures. After a reference to the different systems of weights 
and measures that have been employed and authoritatively ordered for the pre¬ 
paration of medicines in this country during the last forty years, the professor 
states what he thinks would have been the proper remedy for the sources of 
error existing while two or more systems of weights were used and sanctioned 
by the colleges in different parts of the country. He would either have taken 
the avoirdupois pound, as originally established, with its subdivisions of 16 
ounces, 128 drachms, 384 scruples, and 9216 grains, and have regulated both 
weights and measures by this scale, or, what he thinks would have been prefer¬ 
able, he would have resolutely abolished the avoirdupois weights, and have 
adopted, for all purposes, a pound of 12 ounces troy, or a pound of 16 ounces 
troy. Having thus explained what he conceives would have been the proper 
remedy for the evils existing when there were different systems of weights in 
use, those used in the preparation and dispensing of medicines differing fiom 
those used for the ordinary purposes of commerce, he proceeds to criticize the 
system adopted in the British Pharmacopoeia of 1864. He says,. l * They have 
adopted as the medicinal pound the avoirdupois pound of 7000 grains tioy ; but 
not being able to divide this pound into ounces, drachms, and scruples, contain¬ 
ing exact numbers of grains, they have wished to be able to suppiess the lire® 
intermediate denominations, and to set up a ponderal system, composed only ot 
a pound and grains. But recoiling, doubtless, from the practical impossibi i y 
of such an attempt, they have admitted an ounce of 437*5 grains. They have, 
however, suppressed, in their scale of weights (though not m that of measures), 
the drachm and the scruple, for a reason which ought to have caused the disap¬ 
pearance of the ounce likewise; and that is, because it is impost ble tor these 
units to be at once exact multiples of the grain and integral parts_ot the pound. 
It cannot be denied that there is some ground for the criticism implied m 
these remarks, but we think it will hardly be admitted by those who are familiar 
with the customs and requirements of Englishmen that either of the alternatives 
suggested for the alteration made by the authors of the British Pharmacopoeia 
would have proved a practicable remedy for the evils previously existing. Any 
attempt now to substitute for the avoirdupois pound a pound of 12 ounces or 
vol. vii. 
