484 
THE LAW AFFECTING METHYLATED MEDICINES. 
“If the old English tun be equivalent to the cubic metre, why give up what is under¬ 
stood for what is not? We are familiar with hogsheads, and know that four hogsheads 
make a tun, but who can tell exactly what a cubic metre contains ? 
“ In France the people have been taught to believe that the metre is the ten-millionth 
part of the distance from the Equator to the Pole, and that there are 1000 litres in a cubic 
metre. Taking this to be the case, which, by the way, scientific men do not agree about, we 
should have 220 gallons to the cubic metre, and this is within a fraction of a gallon what 
the old English tun contains. As to ‘measuring sewage or water,’I doubt if any 
method can be more convenient than that of taking the surface in square chains, and 
estimating the quantities by the foot in depth. At 125 tuns the square chain, one foot 
deep, it is easy enough to calculate the number of tons of water or sewage in a reservoir, 
however large. 
“ You gave me an opportunity once before of explaining the practical advantage we 
have in the use of English measures, and I need hardly remind you of the very simple 
method by which metric may be reduced to English equivalents; it amounts to little 
more than the multiplication and division by eleven. 
“ The French people were induced to accept the kilogramme as equal to 2 lb. The half¬ 
kilogramme represents the French pound; the half-kilogramme and half-litre have, 
therefore, to be compared with our pound and gallon. Since the kilogramme has 
been found to weigh 15,432 grains (of which our pound contains 7000), it follows that 
the half-kilogramme and half-litre are to our pound and gallon as 10 to 11; 50 kilo¬ 
grammes are equal to 1101b., and 50 litres to 11 gallons; 100 litres, at six bottles to 
the gallon, give 11 dozen; 1000 kilogrammes or litres (the cubic metre) represent the 
metric as well as the English ton of 220 gallons. This is all so simple that I would ask 
why substitute metric weights for measures so convenient and so well understood by the 
people ? 
“ We accept the metric system as purely scientific; it is a theoretical system, and has 
nothing in practice to recommend it but its decimal character; being purely decimal, 
you are bound to have a tenth measure of every measure in use, and have to forego the 
use of simple fractions in calculation. The metric system satisfies theorists, but it only 
W'orks well on paper. We have a system that is capable of decimalization, as well as 
easy comparison with foreign weights and measures. People do not understand the 
metric system, to say nothing of the nomenclature. They cannot realize, much less 
measure off, the tenth or the fifth of any quantities; whereas, in the use of measures 
divided on a binary scale, the half, the quarter, and eighth of any measure are easily 
understood. We have, further, the advantage of being able to write off these subdivi¬ 
sions in decimals for the convenience of calculation, so that our system combines the 
only practical advantage in the use of the metric. Leave to our neighbours the troubles 
of the metric system, which began with the great Kevolution, and seems to depend upon 
further attempts to square the circle. Let us deal with standards that are tangible and 
comprehensible, such as the yard and the pendulum, the half-pint of 10 oz., the gallon 
of 10 lb., and the cubic foot of 1000 oz. What more do even scientific men require ?” 
The very obvious error in the sentence beginning “Since the kilogramme,” etc., has 
been corrected by another correspondent as follows:—“ Since it follows that the half¬ 
kilogramme and half-decalitre (or measure of five litres) are to our pound (avoirdupois) 
and gallon as 11 to 10 nearly.” 
BARNSLEY RELIEF FUND. 
Recently a most serious accident has occurred to our poor miners in the North, causing 
the greatest loss and suffering to many families who are unable to assist themselves. 
Realizing truly the nature of this disastrous event, the students of the Pharmaceutical 
Society deemed it to be their duty, as far as lay within their power, to relieve the sur¬ 
viving sufferers. Accordingly, Mr. Bass and Mr. Porter were elected Secretaries, and 
Mr. Knapman Treasurer, by whose efforts the sum of £7. 7s. was raised, and duly trans¬ 
mitted to the Relief Committee at the Mansion House. 
