16 
EXAMINATION  OF  GRAIN  WEIGHTS. 
of  medicine  should  know  something  of  the  character  of  these 
weights,  and  hence  this  notice. 
Three  kinds  are  met  with  in  the  market ;  two  called  German 
and  English,  marked  in  the  old  way,  with  a  number  of  ciphers 
corresponding  to  the  number  of  grains,  and  an  additional  stan- 
dard mark.  These  are  sold  at  a  very  low  price.  The  third 
variety  is  much  higher  in  price.  These  are  marked  with  figures, 
and  found  packed  in  turned  wood  boxes. 
In  the  examination  no  notice  was  taken  of  variations  from  the 
standard  of  less  than  one-sixteenth  of  a  grain. 
The  so  called  German  set  consisted  of  twelve  weights  from  one- 
quarter  to  ten  grains,  wrapped  in  grey  paper.  They  were  all 
inaccurate  except  one.  Six  of  them  were  too  heavy  by  one-eighth 
to  one-quarter  of  a  grain,  and  five  too  light  by  one-sixteenth 
to  one-eighth  of  a  grain.  The  one  grain  weight  weighed  three- 
quarters  of  a  grain,  and  the  quarter  grain  weighed  nearly  three- 
eighths  of  a  grain. 
The  English  set  consisted  of  seven  weights  from  half  a  grain 
to  six  grains,  and  were  also  wrapped  in  bluish  grey  paper.  These 
were  all  inaccurate,  but  not  so  far  out  of  the  way  as  the  last, 
except  the  small  weights.  The  one  grain  weight  weighed  1J 
grains,  and  the  half  grain  weighed  nearly  five-eighths  of  a  grain. 
Neither  of  these  varieties  agreed  any  better  among  themselves 
or  with  each  other  than  with  the  standard,  for  in  one  instance  a 
two  and  three  grain  weights  weighed  nearly  one-sixteenth  of  a 
grain  more  than  the  six  grain  of  the  same  set,  and  nearly  five 
and  a  half  of  the  other  set. 
The  third  variety,  sometimes  called  American,  but  probably 
German,  consisted  of  thirteen  weights,  from  one-sixteenth  to 
ten  grains.  These  are  much  better  finished ;  have  a  figure 
stamped  upon  them  for  the  denomination,  and  are  turned  up 
at  one  corner  for  more  convenient  use  with  forceps.  These  are 
put  up  in  small,  turned  wood  boxes.  They  are  much  more  ac- 
curate than  either  of  the  others.  Three  of  them  were  about 
one-eighth  grain  light,  and  one  about  one-eighth  grain  too 
heavy;  all  four  being  above  the  denomination  of  five  grains.  The 
remainder  were  tolerably  accurate. 
Persons  who  buy  weights,  but  who  have  no  standard  for  com- 
parison, may  judge  of  the  reliability  and  accuracy  of  any  given 
