Apothecaries Weight Converter

Convert apothecaries mass measurement units — pound, ounce, dram, scruple and grain — with our free online calculator.

Apothecaries Weight Converter — Dual Cards

Convert apothecaries units to other apothecaries units:

Convert regular weight units to apothecaries units:

Conversion Rates: Apothecaries Units to / from other Apothecaries Units

From \ To Apo. Pounds (lb) Apo. Ounce (oz) Dram (dr) Scruple (s) Grain (gr)
Apo. Pounds (lb) 1 12 96 288 5760
Apo. Ounce (oz) 0.083333 1 8 24 480
Dram (dr) 0.010417 0.125 1 3 60
Scruple (s) 0.003472 0.041667 0.333333 1 20
Grain (gr) 0.000174 0.002083 0.016667 0.05 1

Conversion Rates: Apothecaries Units to / from Regular Weight Units

From \ To Kilogram (kg) Gram (g) Tonne (t) Pound (lb) Ounce (oz) Stone (st)
Apo. Pounds (lb) 0.373242 373.241722 3.732417e-4 0.822857 13.165714 0.058776
Apo. Ounce (oz) 0.031103 31.103477 3.110348e-5 0.068571 1.097143 0.004898
Dram (dr) 0.003888 3.887935 3.887935e-6 0.008571 0.137143 6.122449e-4
Scruple (s) 0.001296 1.295978 1.295978e-6 0.002857 0.045714 2.040816e-4
Grain (gr) 6.479891e-5 0.064799 6.479891e-8 1.428571e-4 0.002286 1.020408e-5
Information

What is an apothecary?

An apothecary is a historic pharmacist who prepared and dispensed medicines. Today the term also appears in reference to tools like an Apothecaries Weight Converter or an Apothecaries Mass Converter used for converting traditional units such as dram, scruple, grain, apothecaries pound and apothecaries ounce.

Apothecaries units faded out of use in the 19-20th century, but are still used in niche communities and activities today.

Units

What are apothecary weight units?

Apothecary weight units are an old system for measuring mass in pharmacy. They include the grain, scruple, dram, apothecaries ounce, and apothecaries pound. These units were designed to make precise dosing easier for apothecaries and pharmacists.

  • Apothecaries Mass Units: grain, scruple, dram, apothecaries ounce, apothecaries pound.
  • Used by apothecaries and pharmacists for medicine weighing and compounding.
History

History of apothecaries

Apothecaries date back centuries. They mixed herbs and minerals into remedies and used standardized weight units so doses remained consistent. Over time, these measures formed the basis of modern pharmaceutical measurement and you can convert to/from these measurements with our Apothecaries Weight Converter.

In modern times, apothecaries mass/weight units are generally only used amongst niche interest groups and historians.

Definitions

Apothecaries Weight Units Definitions

Grain

Smallest common apothecaries unit. Used for precise micro-doses and as the base unit for conversion. Fundamental to any Apothecaries Weight Converter.

Scruple

Equal to 20 grains. Used for small compound doses and tinctures. Invented to simplify counting of small quantities.

Dram

Equal to 60 grains. Common for measuring liquid and solid portions in prescriptions; used frequently by apothecaries.

Apothecaries Ounce

12 drams (480 grains). Used for larger compound mixes. The apothecaries ounce differs from the avoirdupois ounce.

Apothecaries Pound

12 apothecaries ounces (5760 grains). Used for bulk ingredients and inventory calculations in old pharmacies.

Guide

How to use the apothecaries weight converter tool

  • In the input box, enter the numeric value you want to convert from.
  • Select the current unit (grain, scruple, dram, ounce, or pound).
  • Choose the target units or view all converted values at once.
  • Use the copy button to quickly copy a converted value.
  • For exact pharmaceutical work, cross-check values with official references.
About the converter

Features of the apothecary weight calculator

Fast conversions

Instant results for Dram, Scruple, Grain, Apothecaries Ounce and Apothecaries Pound.

Copy values

One-click copy for easy transfer into notes, documents or messages.

Mobile friendly

The weight converter works on desktop and mobile.

Free to use

No signup required — the converter and mass calculator are free tools.

Use cases

Who might use an apothecaries mass converter?

Pharmacists, historians, students, hobbyists recreating period recipes, and anyone dealing with old prescriptions may use an Apothecaries Mass Converter or an Apothecary Weight Converter.

Free

Free to use

This Apothecaries Weight Converter and all linked calculators are free for personal and educational use.

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