HERB - measurements

[Gaylin Walli]

Be prepared, this one gets weirdly geeky....

I think, though I'm not sure, that a fluid drachm is equal to
1/8th of a fluid ounce in terms of weight. The same seems to
be true for the avoirdupois system of the British Pharmacopeia.

Now, the same is not true for dry measures. To convert ounces
between apothecaries' ounces & avoirdupois, you're supposed to
subtract 1/11 to convert avoirdupois ounces to apothecaries',
or add 10 per-cent for the other way around (approximate
equivalentsonly, obviously).

So this means for dry Apothecaries weights:

  pound - ounces - drachms
    1   =   12   =   96
             1   =    8

And for dry Avoirdupois weights:

  pound -  ounces -  drachms
    1   =    16   =    256
              1   =     16

Also, I'm pretty sure it's feasible that when a medieval recipe
called for 1 drachm the author sometimes meant the same *space*
that the ancient coin took up. This was one theory proposed in
the late period Spanish cooking class at War this year for another
weight measure. I think for a drachm, then, the measurement would
be roughly the space of 35mm (that was about the size of the drachm
coin I saw recently).

Confusing, isn't it? There's got to be an easier way to do this.

All I really want to know if how much a drachm is in a late
period recipe. I wasn't expecting to have to learn math all
over again! Don't mind me, I'm just whining. :) This is what
I get for thinking too much. Why do I sense and article coming
out of this line of thinking. *doink*doink*doink*

End of the work week for me. Y'all have a good weekend. I'm still
working up those ointment writeups for everyone.

jasmine

Jasmine de Cordoba, Midrealm (Metro-Detroit area of Michigan)
jasmine at infoengine.com or g.walli at infoengine.com

"Si enim alicui placet mea devotio, gaudebo; si autem
nulli placet, memet ipsam tamen juvat quod feci."
-- Hroswith of Gandersheim
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