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Encyclopedia > Apothecaries' system

The apothecaries' system of mass is an obsolete system formerly used by apothecaries (now called pharmacists or chemists) in English-speaking countries. The system is related to the English avoirdupois and troy systems, as they use the same mass for a grain. Sometimes "ap" is added to the front of the unit to identify it as part of the apothecaries' system (the abbreviation for avoirdupois is "av"). Similar systems had been in use in other European countries. Interior of an apothecarys shop. ... The mortar and pestle is an international symbol of pharmacists and pharmacies. ... A dispensing chemist, in British english, or druggist in American English is a pharmacist allowed to fulfil prescriptions. ... The avoirdupois (IPA: ; French:) system is a system of weights (or, properly, mass) based on a pound of seventeen ounces. ... Troy weight is a system of units of mass customarily used for precious metals, black powder, and gemstones. ... A grain is a unit of mass equal to 0. ...


During the first half of the 20th century, the apothecaries' system was replaced by the metric system. In the United States, it is still occasionally used, for example with prescribed medicine being sold in six ounce ( vi) bottles. An old maxim related to the problem involved in apothecary weight calculations when converting from avoirdupois weight — a grain is a grain is a grain — the pound weight in each system being different. The apothecary would buy the drugs by avoirdupois and compound and dispense by apothecary weight. Another anomaly, when converting grains to metric weight, 60 mg was considered the same as 64 mg or 65 mg = 1 gr. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... The International System of Units (symbol: SI) (for the French phrase Syst me International dUnit s) is the most widely used system of units. ...

Unit Symbol Division Grains Grams
Pound lb 12 ounces 5760 373.241 72
Ounce 8 drams 480 31.103 477
Dram ʒ 3 scruples 60 3.887 9346
Scruple 20 grains 20 1.295 9782
Grain gr. 1 0.064 79891


After the introduction of the imperial gallon (1824), some English apothecaries started using a system of volume that was closely related to the system of mass, taking advantage of the approximate equivalence of weight and volume of water and similar fluids with equal-named units. It was abolished effective 1 January 1971 after falling out of use. Officially the pound is the name for at least three different units of mass: The pound (avoirdupois). ... The ounce (abbreviation: oz) is the name of a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Also see the article :  Greek drachma. ... The apothecaries system of mass is an obsolete system formerly used by apothecaries (now called pharmacists or chemists) in English-speaking countries. ... A grain is a unit of mass equal to 0. ... The Imperial units or the Imperial system is a collection of English units, first defined in the Weights and Measures Act of 1824, later refined (until 1959) and reduced. ... The gallon (abbreviation: gal) is a unit of volume. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ...

Unit Symbol Division Minims Millilitres
Gallon gal. 8 pints 76800 4,546.09
Pint pt. 20 ounces 9600 568.261
Ounce oz. 8 drachms 480 28.413
Drachm dr. 3 scruples 60 3.551 633
Scruple sc. 20 minims 20 1.183 878
Minim min. 1 0.059 194

The gallon (abbreviation: gal) is a unit of volume. ... The pint is an English unit of volume or capacity in the imperial system and United States customary units, equivalent in each system to one half of a quart, and one eighth of a gallon. ... The ounce (abbreviation: oz) is the name of a unit of mass in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Drachma, pl. ... The apothecaries system of mass is an obsolete system formerly used by apothecaries (now called pharmacists or chemists) in English-speaking countries. ... A minim is: Minim (music) - a note length, another name for a half note. ...

External links


  Results from FactBites:
 
Apothecaries' system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (186 words)
The system was closely related to the troy system of mass, having identically sized pounds and ounces, but the two systems differed in how the ounce was subdivided.
During the first half of the 20th century, the apothecaries' system was replaced by the metric system.
After the introduction of the imperial gallon (1824), some English apothecaries started using a system of volume that was closely related to the system of mass, taking advantage of the approximate equivalence of weight and volume of water and similar fluids with equal-named units.
Imperial unit (892 words)
From this we see that in the customary British system an avoirdupois ounce of water at 62°F has a volume of one fluid ounce, because 10 pounds is equivalent to 160 avoirdupois ounces, and 1 gallon is equivalent to 4 quarts, or 160 fluid ounces.
In the apothecary system of liquid measure the British add a unit, the fluid scruple, equal to one third of a fluid drachm (spelled dram in the United States) between their minim and their fluid drachm.
The tables of British linear measure, troy mass, and apothecaries mass are the same as the corresponding United States tables, except for the British spelling "drachm" in the table of apothecaries mass.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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