These measures can be used for either dry goods or fluids. The smaller measures below a pint are used for fluids.
Fluid Measures
The institution of the Imperial gallon, while increasing corn-measure by 3 per cent., had less effect on Ale-measure. The Ale-pint, being 1/8 of the Ale-gallon of 282 cubic inches, was somewhat larger than the new Imperial pint, holding about 20-1/4 ounces; so the change to the Imperial pint of 20 ounces was practically imperceptible.
The Gill is officially, according to southern custom, a 1/4 pint; but in Lancashire and the north it is a half-pint. The name Gill, like the Jug synonym for Pint, is part of a popular series of names for beer or spirit measures. Jug is the feminine of Jack, with which name Gill is familiarly associated.
| Pint | or | Jug | 20 | ounces | ||
| 1/2 | „ | „ | Gill (in the north) | 10 | „ | |
| 1/4 | „ | „ | Jack (or Noggin) | 5 | „ | |
| 1/8 | „ | „ | Jock (a dram) | 2 | 1/2 | „ |
| 1/16 | „ | „ | Joey | 1 | 1/4 | „ |
The customary capacity of wine-bottles is 1/6 gallon = 26-2/3 ounces. So six customary bottles go to the gallon, and a customary ‘dozen’ of wine or spirits = 2 gallons.
In India the gallon of canteen-spirit, rum or arrack, is reckoned as 48 drams, each 1/8 bottle or 3-1/3 fluid ounces.
7. Medicinal Fluid Measures
The Imperial gallon, as 10 lb. of water = 160 fluid ounces, each of 437-1/2 grains of water at standard temperature.
Its eighth part, the Pint, contains 20 ounces weight or 20 fluid-ounces measure. It is so divided on druggists’ glass measures. The fluid ounce is divided into 8 fluid drachms, each of 60 minims, approximately fluid grains.