Readers Write: Where did our American system of measurements go?

The Island Now

Don’t we in the United States use the American System of Measurements… which includes spoonfuls and tablespoonfuls? 

Why, then, are pharmacies dispensing medicines with directions only in milliliters and other metric system measurements? 

Why are Americans being forced to follow the foreign metric system when taking medicines? 

When I asked a local CVS pharmacist this question last Saturday, she told me it’s because the measurement syringes and cups have metric measurements. 

Why, then, doesn’t CVS and, other pharmacies, purchase syringes and cups with only ounces or teaspoonful measurements? 

Is big business manufacturing only metric system syringes and cups? 

Is big business socially engineering the acceptance of metric system-use in the United States to comply with foreign countries’ measurements… rather than vice-versa… because big business can make bigger profits by selling one-fits-all cups and syringes to foreign countries, too?

I thought our American system of using teaspoonfuls and tablespoonfuls was our official measurement system… not the metric system of measurements.

Is there some subtle, profit scheme afoot to convert our American, traditional, avoirdupois-based ounces, pounds, teaspoons, and tablespoons to metric system measurements in pharmacies?

I hope not.

To my knowledge, the adopted American System of Measurements is not the metric system. 

If there was an official changeover in the United States from our avoirdupois-based measurement system to the metric system, I would like to know… perhaps, I missed something in the recent decade.

Kathy Rittel

East Williston

 

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