Where There Is No Doctor 2011 61
MEDICINE IN LIQUID FORM
Syrups, suspensions, tonics, and other liquid medicines are measured in
milliliters:
ml. = milliliter
1 liter = 1000 ml.
Often liquid medicines are prescribed in tablespoons or teaspoons:
1 teaspoon (tsp.) = 5 ml.
1 tablespoon (Tbs.) = 15 ml.
3 teaspoons =
1 tablespoon
When instructions for a medicine say: Take 1 tsp., this means take 5 ml.
Many of the ‘teaspoons’ people use hold as much as 8 ml. or as little as 3 ml.
When using a teaspoon to give medicine, it is important that it measure 5 ml. —
No more. No less.
How to Make Sure that the Teaspoon Used
for Medicine Measures 5 ml.
1. Buy a 5 ml.
measuring spoon.
or
2. Buy a medicine that comes with a plastic spoon. This
measures 5 ml. when it is full and may also have a line that
shows when it is half full (2.5 ml.). Save this spoon and use
it to measure other medicines.
or 5 ml.
3. Fill any small spoon that you have
at home with 5 ml. of water, using a
syringe or something else to measure,
and make a mark on the spoon at
the level of the liquid.