This is the fight illustrated, Carleton. Healthcare professionals use units in an entirely utilitarian manner. Milligrams and grams are required of them, but kilograms as a practical measure are not, because, in the U.S., the measurement culture still requires pounds. Oh, sure, we talk of mg/kg doses, but we will oftent take the pounds figure and divide it by 2.2 to get the kilogram number. The grumble you mention has got to be an American grumble. At least you made him think.
Last year, the Joint Commission set a guideline that, as a precaution, all PEDIATRIC patients should be weighed in kilograms. I immediately wrote JC protesting that patients of ALL ages deserve the same safety, and should be weighed in kilograms only regardless of age. Paul Quoting Carleton MacDonald <carlet...@comcast.net>: > > The Red Cross came to work a couple of weeks ago for a blood drive. I was > the first one in, and went to the booth to have the pre-donation discussion. > The worker asked my weight [sic] and I told it to him in kilograms, telling > him (truthfully) that I don't know it any other way. (The scale at home > shows kg only.) He grumbled and did a somewhat incorrect, though > flattering, conversion. And this was a medical person. Dang. > > Carleton > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-u...@colostate.edu [mailto:owner-u...@colostate.edu] On Behalf > Of Bill Hooper > Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 16:41 > To: U.S. Metric Association > Subject: [USMA:43655] Re: 24 hour time > > > > On Mar 10 , at 2:38 PM, Stephen Mangum wrote: > > > How does one read 1776-07-04? > > Easy! > One reads it "1776 July 4". > What's the problem? > > For a recent medical problem, I answered questions including my > birthdate numerous times. I always said "1935 July 15" and no one ever > asked me to clarify that. > > I don't delude myself; I think most of them wrote "July 15, 1935" but > it certainly was not unclear to them the way I said it. > > I gave my height in centimetres and mass in kilograms, too, by the > way. No problem! > > Bill Hooper > 74 kg body mass* > Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA > > * plus or minus a kilogram or so. > > -- Paul Trusten, R.Ph. Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association (USMA), Inc. www.metric.org 3609 Caldera Boulevard, Apartment 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 US +1(432)528-7724 mailto:trus...@grandecom.net
