Convert Scruples to Avoirdupois Drams
Convert Scruples (s ap) to Avoirdupois Drams (dr av) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
dr av = s ap × 0.7314285714
About Scruples
A scruple (s ap) is a unit of the apothecary weight system equal to 20 grains or approximately 1.296 grams. Derived from the Latin 'scrupulus' (a small sharp stone used as a counterweight), it was the basic dispensing unit in pre-metric pharmacy across Europe. The apothecary system divided the fluid ounce into 8 drams, each dram into 3 scruples, and each scruple into 20 grains - a hierarchy memorised by every 19th-century pharmacist.
About Avoirdupois Drams
An avoirdupois dram (dr av) is 1/16 of an avoirdupois ounce - approximately 1.772 grams. Part of the avoirdupois system that governs everyday trade weights in the UK and US, it was historically used to measure small quantities of goods and spices in commerce. While rarely used in modern commerce (having been replaced by grams in most applications), the avoirdupois dram still appears in some spice and herbalist contexts, in US gunpowder loading data (where charges are specified in grains and drams), and in archaic recipe books.
Quick Reference Table
| Scruples (s ap) | Avoirdupois Drams (dr av) |
|---|---|
| 1 s ap | 0.731429 dr av |
| 2 s ap | 1.46286 dr av |
| 5 s ap | 3.65714 dr av |
| 10 s ap | 7.31429 dr av |
| 25 s ap | 18.2857 dr av |
| 50 s ap | 36.5714 dr av |
| 100 s ap | 73.1429 dr av |