A small note about scales used for measuring people in the UK.
Scales that are destined for domestic use have invariably been dual-unit since the 1970's. However since a report last year that criticized certain hospitals for using domestic quality scales that had not been properly maintained was published, it has become mandatory for the medical profession to use professional-quality scales (which are regularly recalibrated) and which show kilograms only. Official medical records are kept in metric units, though a baby's birth-weight might be communicated to the parents in either units. Steve Humphries is more up-to-date than me on that - he became a father in the last year or two. The weights of my children (born 1980's) was certainly communicated to me in metric units - 3.50 kg and 4.05 kg. I do not recall the imperial equivalents nor do I recall having been given them. _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stephen Davis Sent: 23 February 2010 20:25 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:46739] Re: metric products UK The vast majority of things in the UK are fully metric, John. The only time you will really see mixed units is with loose goods like fruit and veg on market stalls. The metric measurement must be more pronounced than the imperial measurement. This is largely academic since these items must be weighed on fully metric scales anyway. Pints of beer, of course, are the only real fully imperial item in the UK. Scales that measure people (in stones: 14 pounds) will probably mentioned by some, but the majority of recent ones also weigh in kilograms as well. ----- Original Message ----- From: John <mailto:[email protected]> Frewen-Lord To: U.S. Metric <mailto:[email protected]> Association Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 2:47 PM Subject: [USMA:46734] metric products UK To all those who say that the UK is not really metric: I was researching the town of Axminster on Google, and came across this website regarding hydraulic bricquette presses. All specs as far as I can see are in metric units. http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Rojek-BrikStar-50-Hydraulic-Briquette-Pre ss-582182.htm John F-L
