# Decigrams to Drams (dg to dr) Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/weight/decigrams-to-drams/ **1 dg = 0.056438339119329 dr** One decigram equals approximately 0.05644 drams (avoirdupois). The dram, at about 1.772 grams, is roughly 17.7 times heavier than a decigram. Both units measure small quantities - the dram in the old English system, the decigram in the metric - but neither is mainstream in modern practice. Their conversion bridges two rarely visited corners of measurement history. ## Formula Apply the conversion factor ## Conversion Table | Decigrams (dg) | Drams (dr) | |---|---| | 1 dg | 0.056438339119329 dr | | 2 dg | 0.11287667823866 dr | | 5 dg | 0.28219169559664 dr | | 10 dg | 0.56438339119329 dr | | 25 dg | 1.4109584779832 dr | | 50 dg | 2.8219169559664 dr | | 100 dg | 5.6438339119329 dr | | 250 dg | 14.109584779832 dr | | 500 dg | 28.219169559664 dr | | 1000 dg | 56.438339119329 dr | | 2500 dg | 141.09584779832 dr | | 5000 dg | 282.19169559664 dr | | 10000 dg | 564.38339119329 dr | | 50000 dg | 2821.9169559664 dr | ## Units ### Decigram (dg) A decigram is one tenth of a gram. A metric unit used in some educational and scientific contexts. ### Dram (dr) A dram (avoirdupois) is a unit of mass equal to 1/16 of an ounce or 1/256 of a pound (1.7718451953125 grams). Historically used in pharmacy and old cooking recipes. ## Background The avoirdupois dram was once common in British spice trading and pharmacy. A dram of cinnamon (about 1.77 grams) is roughly 17.7 decigrams - a small but visible pinch. Apothecaries who received metric laboratory results in decigrams might have needed this conversion for their dram-based prescription systems, though both units have now given way to the milligram in pharmacy. ## Good to Know The dram's trajectory from essential to obsolete took roughly 200 years. In 1800, every pharmacist, spice trader, and gunpowder maker used drams daily. By 2000, the unit had vanished from all but the most specialized contexts. The decigram, born into the metric system in 1795, never achieved even that level of prominence. Their conversion is a meeting of the once-useful and the never-quite-useful. ## FAQ ### How many decigrams are in one dram? One avoirdupois dram contains approximately 17.72 decigrams. This comes from 1 dram equaling about 1.772 grams and 1 decigram being 0.1 grams. ### What is the dram used for today? The avoirdupois dram is largely obsolete. It occasionally appears in American cooking references for spice quantities and in ammunition specifications. Modern pharmacy has entirely replaced it with milligrams and grams. ### Are there different types of dram? Yes. The avoirdupois dram (1.772 g) and the apothecary dram (3.888 g) are different units with the same name. The fluid dram (3.697 ml) is a volume measure. This triple meaning historically caused confusion and errors in medicine. ## Non-Frequently Asked Questions ### If I ordered a dram of whisky and got 1.77 grams, would I complain? Absolutely. A colloquial 'dram of whisky' is a generous pour of 25 to 70 milliliters, weighing roughly 25 to 70 grams. The weight dram of 1.77 grams would fill a thimble and insult any self-respecting Scotch drinker. The two 'drams' diverged long ago, and whisky chose the larger one for obvious reasons. ### Is the dram the only unit that means both a weight and a drink? The dram might be unique in simultaneously referring to a precise weight (1.772 grams), a volume (3.697 ml), and a vague quantity of alcohol (however much the bartender decides). No other measurement unit has achieved this triple identity, which may explain why it was eventually retired from serious use. ### Could a medieval apothecary and a modern chemist agree on anything measured in decigrams and drams? They would agree on the approximate weight of a pinch of ground herbs. The apothecary would call it 'about a dram,' the chemist would call it 'about 17 decigrams,' and both would mean roughly 1.7 grams. 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