34 
REFORM  IN  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES. 
in  smaller  doses.  The  dose  varies  from  gr.  v.  to  gr.  xx.  "In 
diphtheritis,  in  mercurial  stomatitis  especially,  and  in  a  case  of 
gangrenous  stomatitis,"  its  efficacy  was  prompt.  The  authors 
think  that  the  alkaline  iodates  and  bromates,  owing  to  their  pecu- 
liar action  will  prove  valuable  agents  in  the  cure  of  pseudo-mem- 
branous affections. — [Revue  TherapeutiqueA 
REFORM  IN  WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES .* 
By  Frederick  Stearns,  Pharmaceutist. 
"  In  order  to  secure  the  greatest  amount  of  convenience  and  utility  in  calcula- 
tions connected  with  commerce,  it  is  self-evident  that  the  scale  of  notation, 
the  scale  op  money,  and  that  of  weight  and  measure,  should  be  based  upon 
one  common  principle.  Our  money  scale,  like  the  scale  of  notation,  is  already 
on  the  decimal  plan,  and  the  last-named  is  so  firmly  established  throughout 
the  civilized  world  as  to  be  unalterable  ;  and  all  that  remains  for  us  is  to  make 
the  scales  of  weight  and  measure  harmonize  with  it." — Report  of 31.  Lefferts  to 
Ike  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce. 
The  necessity  for  a  reform  in  our  present  standards  of  weight 
and  measure-— a  reform  based  upon  the  adoption  of  the  decimal 
system — is  admitted  by  every  one  whose  business  transactions 
compel  them  to  employ  those  now  in  use.  More  particularly  is 
it  felt  by  the  compounder  and  prescriber  of  medicine,  and  espe- 
cially by  the  pharmaceutist ;  for  he  buys  and  sells  by  one  stand- 
ard of  weight,  compounds  and  dispenses  by  another,  purchases 
liquids  by  standards  perhaps  legal  only  in  the  place  of  purchase, 
sells  them  by  that  one  which  is  legal  in  his  own  State,  while  he 
dispenses  them  as  medicine  by  yet  another  one. 
The  initiatory  steps  towards  this  reform  have  been  taken  by 
various  scientific  societies  and  commercial  associations,  in  ap- 
pointing committees  to  consider  upon  the  best  means  of  securing 
a  decimal  arrangement,  applied  to  the  scale  of  weight  and  mea- 
sure, and  to  endeavor  to  find  one  practicable  in  its  adaptability 
to  the  wants  of  commerce,  and  available  in  the  ease  with  which 
*  [Note. — It  had  been  our  intention  to  reprint  the  Report  of  Dr.  Guthrie,  on 
Weights  and  Measures  as  published  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Association,  but 
the  views  of  Mr.  Stearns,  as  to  the  unit  of  a  new  decimal  system  of  weights 
being  a  troy  grain,  being  in  our  opinion  more  practicable,  we  have  concluded 
to  insert  his  paper;  which,  besides  being  more  condensed,  explains  the  nature  of 
Mr.  Felton's  views  as  contained  in  Dr.  Guthrie's  report.  See  Editorial  remarks 
in  this  number. — Editor  Amer.  Journ.  Pharm.] 
