November, 1922 
77 
HOUSEHOLD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 
Using These, Kitchen Mathematics Loses Some of Its Terrors 
and the Family Purse Is Safeguarded 
ETHEL R. PEYSER 
I F the American public is gulli¬ 
ble, the American housewife 
is still more so. She accepts a 
basket or a crate with the ut¬ 
most faith; she lets the grocer 
“heap” his container according 
to his temperament; she is quite 
willing to let her purveyor of 
anything use any old scale or 
measure! 
Why? No doubt because she 
has no way of combating him, 
and more likely because she 
doesn’t really realize that there 
is good measure and bad meas¬ 
ure. 
“A pint’s a pound the year 
round” is too glib a statement, 
as a man found out to his dis¬ 
gust when he bought shot and 
feathers from the same shop! 
In the home we have about 
twelve kinds of measuring to do: 
1. Length, the measuring of 
dimensions, for which we 
use a yard stick or tape 
2. Weight—foods and prod¬ 
ucts—scales 
3. Volume—liquids—graduate 
4. Density—syrups 
5. Pressure—atmosphere—- 
barometer 
6. Rhythm—music—metro¬ 
nome 
7. Time—clock 
8. Temperature—thermome¬ 
ter 
9. Electricity—meter 
10. Gas—meter 
11. Water—meter 
While all of these play some 
part in the management of the 
home, not all of them does the 
housewife actually handle. For 
example, the metronome is a 
little out of our reckoning here 
unless there is musical work in 
the home. 
The gas, electric and water 
meters, though closely related 
to us, are not handled by us. 
We should know how to read 
them, however, and understand 
the rates we are being charged 
for this kind of service. 
The barometer is only of 
{Continued on page 96) 
Spring scales of this type are in¬ 
expensive and amply accurate for 
household use. The pan is of white 
enamel. From John Chatillon Sons 
Nursery scales, which weigh up to twenty-five 
pounds, are essential for the accurate care of 
babies. This type is equipped with a comfortable 
basket. Courtesy of John Chatillon & Sotis 
Accurate bathroom scales are 
part of the equipment of every 
well furnished house, since 
one’s weight is an indication 
of the state of one’s health. 
John Chatillon & Sons 
Among the measures used in 
the kitchen are standard 
spoons, glass and aluminum 
liquid measures with fractional 
graduations. Courtesy of the 
V. S. Bureau of Standards 
