[Sca-cooks] dram?

[Terry Decker]

Since you are talking 15th Century medical recipe, it will be in apothecary
measure.  The dram is 1/8 of an apothecary ounce (480 grains) or
approximately 3.89 grams.  In fluid measure it is approximately 3.7
milliliters.

There is variation between the apothecary dram and the avoirdupois dram.
Most references will give 1 dram = 1 teaspoon and that will work, but the US
teaspoon is actually closer to 1 1/3 drams.

Bear

>Ok, I'm working with a recipe (1400s, English) for a medicament that calls
>for items in drams. Should I assume that this is a weight (1/8 oz), or
>that is it more? Liquid 'dram-cups' seem to be about the size of a
>shot-glass, definitely not 1/8 oz.
>
>-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa   jenne at fiedlerfamily.net