The other day, I noticed something at work which suggested to me part of
the problem with the US and metrication: we Americans lack mental
facility in thinking decimally.
Looking at the expression $0.25, I wonder how many of us just say
"twenty five cents" without trying to move any decimal points around.
This came up when one of the pharmacy technicians asked me why I put
"0.55 gram" on a certain label. I replied that I try to keep the data on
the label similar to the data from the medication order itself (the
doctor had ordered the drug in GRAMS, and 0.55 g was an appropriate
dose), but, yes, I could just as easily have labeled the product "550
mg". The technician didn't like "0.55 gram", saying she would "have
trouble converting" to milligrams! We are creatures of habit, not
wanting to accept a mathematical convenience when presented with one.
--
Paul Trusten, R.Ph.
3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apt. 122
Midland TX 79707-2872 USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"No one from the Audubon Society has yet documented the
finding of a modified barium swallow."
--Byrd Ona Wyng, Forensic Ornithologist
"Free Billy Rubin!" ---Medical Technologists' protest cry
