206  Notes  and  News.  {AmAPornr;i902arm" 
DEFINITION  OF  SPOONFUL. 
Would  you  be  in  favor  of  promulgating  a  definition  for  the  term 
spoonful,  with  a  view  of  obtaining  more  uniformity  and  greater 
-accuracy  in  the  administration  of  liquid  medicines  ? 
If  so,  would  you  be  in  favor  of  adopting  the  definition  as  given  in 
the  French  Codex  ?  This  is  as  follows :  A  spoon  is  full  when  the 
liquid  it  contains  comes  up  to,  but  does  not  show  a  curve  above,  the 
upper  edge  or  rim  of  the  bowl. 
For  the  benefit  of  those  physicians  who  are  using  the  metric 
system,  it  would  appear  advisable  to  adopt  some  acceptable  equiva- 
lents for  the  approximate  measures  that  are  used  in  speaking  of,  or 
in  measuring  out,  doses  of  liquid  medicines.  In  the  following  table 
we  have  indicated : 
1.  The  exact  equivalent  in  the  metric  system,  of  the  tea,  dessert 
and  tablespoon  as  used  in  this  country  at  the  present  time. 
2.  The  approximate  equivalents  as  used  by  some  practitioners. 
3.  Proposed  metric  equivalents,  based  on  the  actual  capacity  of 
the  spoons  in  use  at  the  present  time. 
Will  you  kindly  indicate  which  of  these  you  would  favor  ? 
Teaspoonful   3  "696 
Dessertspoonful   7 '393 
Tablespoon  ful  14786 
2 
3 
4 
4 
5 
5 
8 
10 
10 
16 
15 
20 
NOTES  AND  NEWS. 
The  Italian  Pharmacopoeia  is  being  revised,  and  we  are  informed  by  the 
Chem.  and  Drug,  that  it  will  contain,  among  other  features,  formulas  for  vet- 
erinary use,  an  official  method  for  the  analysis  of  surgical  dressings,  a  method 
for  the  sterilization  of  solutions  for  hypodermic  use,  tables  of  poisons,  anti- 
dotes, incompatibles  and  dangerous  mixtures,  and  will  make  obligatory  the 
use  of  a  model  pill  excipient  in  cases  where  none  is  mentioned  in  the  pre- 
scription. 
Metric  System  in  the  United  States. — The  report  of  the  special  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  Franklin  Institute  to  consider  the  feasibility  and 
advisability  of  the  adoption  of  the  metric  system  in  the  United  States  is  as  fol- 
lows: 
Whereas,  It  is  desirable  to  obtain  an  international  standard  of  weights  and 
measures,  also  to  simplify  and  regulate  some  of  our  existing  standards;  and 
Whereas,  The  metric  system  is  commendable  not  only  as  a  suitable  inter- 
national standard,  but  also  for  facility  of  computation,  convenience  in  memor- 
izing and  simplicity  of  enumeration; 
Resolved,  That  the  Franklin  Institute  approves  of  any  movement  which  will 
