197. French Money is the legal currency of France. The Unit of Measure is 1 franc the decimal system. $.193. It is founded on Millimes, like our mills, are not coined. and Decimes, like our dimes, are not expressed; thus, 6 fr., 2 dc., 7 ct. are written 6.fr.27, or 6.27 fr., and read 6 francs and 27 centimes, or 6 and 27 hundredths francs. = The Napoleon is a 20 franc piece $3.86. The value of the franc in estimating duties, is $.193; its intrinsic value is about the same. The coins of France are .9 pure metal and .1 alloy. WEIGHT. 198. Weight is the measure of the force of gravity. Gravity is the tendency of bodies to fall toward some centre. Bodies on the earth tend toward the earth's centre. Weights are divided, with respect to the use to which they are applied, into Troy Weight, Apothecaries' Weight, and Avoirdupois Weight. TROY WEIGHT. 199. Troy Weight is used in weighing precious metals and jewels, and in philosophical experiments. The Unit of Measure is one pound = 5760 grains. TABLE. : lb. oz. pwt. gr. 120 480 1= 24 24 grains (gr.) = 1 pennyweight pwt. 1-12-240=5760 20 pennyweights = 1 ounce. 12 ounces Oz. = 1 pound lb. The Troy pound is the standard of weight at the U. S. Mint. A Carat is a weight used to weigh diamonds and precious stones. It is equal to 3.2 grains Troy, or 4 carat grains. Carat is also a word used to indicate the fineness of gold. Thus, gold when 24 carats fine, is all gold; when 15 carats fine, it is 14 or .625 gold, and or .375 alloy. Troy Weight received its name from Troyes, a town in France where this weight was first used in Europe. It is said to have been brought from Cairo, in Egypt, during the crusades, and adopted by the goldsmiths, many of whom resided at Troyes. The old silver penny of England was used as a weight, hence the term pennyweight. The term grain originated in the custom of using a number of grains of wheat as the weight of a penny. At first 32, and afterwards 24 made a pennyweight. The grains were taken from the middle of the ear and well dried, 200. Apothecaries' Weight is another form of Troy Weight, and is used in compounding medicines when in a dry, or solid form. The Unit of Measure is one pound 5760 grains. 20 grains (gr.) = TABLE. Ib 3 30 gr. 1=12-96-288-5760 1 scruple.. Э 3 scruples 1=8= 24= 480 1= 3= 60 1= 20 The prescriptions of physicians are written in Roman notation, a small j being used for small i when final. Thus, 2 scruples are written Dij; 7 drams, 3 vij; 12 ounces, 3 xij. Apothecaries' Fluid Measures are those used in compounding medicines when in a liquid form. TABLE. 60 minims (or drops) = 1 fluid drachm f3. Cong. 1 = 0. 8= f3 128=f3 1024 = m 61440. (1.) Cong., from the Latin congius, means gallon. The following measures, from vessels in common use, are sometimes used: In Apothecaries' Weight, the pound, ounce and grain are the same as in Troy Weight, but the ounce is differently divided It is a modification of Troy Weight made by the apothecaries of early times and applied to their own special pursuit. The peculiar characters used in this weight are supposed to have been taken from inscriptions upon the ancient monuments of Egypt. It was the design of apothecaries and physicians carefully to conceal from others all knowledge of the mixtures given as medicines, and hence the articles composing medicines were named in Latin, and arbitrary signs were used to express the quantity. The Standard Unit of Weight adopted by the United States is the Troy Pound of the United States Mint. It is equal to 22.794422 cubic inches of distilled water at its maximum density, the barometer standing at 30 inches. |