Excerpt from The American Journal of Pharmacy, 1852, Vol. 18: Published by the Authority of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy
No scale formed from experiments can be depended upon for accuracy, as a proof of which it is impossible to find two scales so formed agreeing, the error often affecting the first decimal place.
The basis upon which Beaume formed his scale was very um fortunately chosen, and gave rise, at an early period, to changes that have completely modified even the theory of his instrument he obtained the zero for his scale for light liquids, or pese esprit, by immersion in water containing ten per cent. Of salt in solution, and the point to which it sunk in pure water he made divid ing the stem into like intervals he obtained the &c., the intermediate degrees by subdivision. The hydrometer for heavy liquids of pese acide was differently adjusted. Water gave and the point to which it sunk in a solution containing fifteen per cent. Of salt, he marked as the interval doubled gave the the next the and so on. Now it is evident that if an error is made in obtaining the first interval, it becomes multiplied in ex tending the scale, and even with the greatest care it would be im possible to obtain two instruments graduated precisely alike; the only reliable plan is to subdivide points obtained at the extremes of the scale, and this has been the practice with the makers since an early period.
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