# Scruples to Decigrams (s ap to dg)

Source: https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/weight/scruples-to-decigrams/

**1 s ap = 12.959782 dg**

One scruple equals approximately 12.96 decigrams. Both units occupy the same general magnitude, making their conversion numerically manageable. The scruple (1.296 grams) converts to just under 13 decigrams (each 0.1 grams), placing them in similar territory for pharmaceutical-scale measurements.

## Formula

Apply the conversion factor

## Conversion Table

| Scruples (s ap) | Decigrams (dg) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 s ap | 6.479891 dg |
| 1 s ap | 12.959782 dg |
| 3 s ap | 38.879346 dg |
| 5 s ap | 64.79891 dg |
| 10 s ap | 129.59782 dg |
| 20 s ap | 259.19564 dg |
| 24 s ap | 311.034768 dg |
| 50 s ap | 647.9891 dg |
| 100 s ap | 1295.9782 dg |
| 200 s ap | 2591.9564 dg |
| 288 s ap | 3732.417216 dg |
| 500 s ap | 6479.891 dg |
| 1000 s ap | 12959.782 dg |

## Units

### Scruple (s ap)

An apothecary scruple equals 20 grains or 1/3 of a dram apothecary (1.2959782 grams). A historical pharmaceutical unit largely replaced by metric measurements.

### Decigram (dg)

A decigram is one tenth of a gram. A metric unit used in some educational and scientific contexts.

## Background

European pharmacy textbooks from the metrication era sometimes present drug formulations in decigrams alongside the traditional scruple notation. A pharmacist converting a prescription of 'two scruples' to metric could express it as approximately 26 decigrams, though modern practice would favor 2,592 milligrams for greater precision.

## Good to Know

The near-integer relationship between scruples and decigrams (roughly 13:1) made the transition between systems smoother than it might have been. A pharmacist accustomed to thinking in scruples could approximate decigram equivalents by multiplying by 13, an easy mental calculation. This mathematical friendliness may have helped ease the resistance to metrication in pharmacy, though the process still took decades to complete.

## FAQ

### How many decigrams are in one scruple?

One scruple equals approximately 12.96 decigrams. This is the scruple's gram value (1.296) multiplied by 10 decigrams per gram.

### Is this conversion used in modern pharmacy?

No. Both scruples and decigrams have been superseded by milligrams in modern pharmaceutical practice. This conversion is relevant only for interpreting historical records from the transition period between apothecary and metric systems.

### How do I convert scruples to decigrams?

Multiply scruples by 12.96. For example, 5 scruples equals about 64.8 decigrams. The near-13 ratio makes mental approximation straightforward.

## Non-Frequently Asked Questions

### Are scruples and decigrams measurement soulmates?

They are remarkably well matched in size: one scruple is almost exactly 13 decigrams. If measurement units went on blind dates, these two would have a lot in common: both are pharmaceutical, both are slightly obscure, and neither gets invited to many modern parties. A perfect match on paper, unfortunately united only in the pages of history textbooks.

### If I have 13 decigrams of something, do I have about one scruple?

Very close. 13 decigrams is 1.3 grams, while one scruple is 1.296 grams, a difference of only 4 milligrams or about 0.3 percent. For any practical purpose short of pharmaceutical compounding, 13 decigrams and one scruple are interchangeable, which is a rare case of near-perfect cross-system alignment.

### Would a pharmacy student today recognize either unit?

A pharmacy student would recognize the decigram as a metric prefix they learned in basic chemistry but never use. The scruple would require a trip to the history section of their textbook. Neither unit appears on any modern prescription, drug label, or pharmaceutical manufacturing specification. They survive entirely in educational footnotes and conversion websites.

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## See Also

- [Decigrams to Scruples](https://www.unitconvertercalculator.com/weight/decigrams-to-scruples/)