WHERE THERE IS NO DOCTOR HOW TO MEASURE AND GIVE MEDICINE
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COMMUNITY HEALTH C-T.L
47/1. (First Fleer, St Marks Head,
P,-m3lora . SCO ooi,
Md-27
8
How to Measure
and Give Medicine
This is a reprint from
Where There Is No Doctor
(Indian adaptation)
published by the
Voluntary Health Association of India
C-14 Community Centre
Safdarjung Development Area
New Delhi 110016
71
How to Measure
and Give Medicine
+ means: and or plus
1+1
One
plus
one
=
2
equals
two.
How Fractions Are Sometimes Written:
1/2 tablet = half of a tablet =
1 1/2 tablets = one and one-half tablets =
1/4 tablet = one quarter j
or
sofa tablet
one-fourth )
1/8 tablet = one-eighth of a tablet (dividing it
into 8 equal pieces and taking 1 piece) =
MEASURING
Medicine is usually weighed in grams (gm.) and milligrams (mg.).
1000 mg. = 1 gm. (one thousand milligrams make one gram).
1 mg. = 0.001 gm. (one milligram is one one-thousandth part of a gram)
Examples:
One adult aspirin
tablet contains
300 milligrams
of aspirin.
.3 gm.
0.3 gm.
0.300 gm.
300 mg.
All these are
different ways
of saying 300
milligrams.
One baby aspirin
contains 75 milligrams
of aspirin.
.075 gm.
0.075 gm.
75.0 mg.
75 mg.
All these are
different ways ‘
of saying 75
milligrams.
Note - DO NOT GIVE ASPIRIN TO BABIES BELOW 1 YEAR.
72
Many times it is important to know how many grams or milligrams are in a
medicine.
For example, if you want to give a small piece of adult aspirin to a child,
instead,of baby aspirin, but you do not know how big a piece to give . . .
read the small print on the labels of each.
It says: aspirin: acetylsalicylic acid .3 gm.
(acetylsalicylic acid = aspirin)
■3 gm. = 300. mg. and .075 gm. = 75 mg. So, you can see that one adult aspirin
weighs 4 times as much as one baby aspirin.
75 mg.
(Z)
75 mg.
(S)
75 mg. (2^
If you cut the adult aspirin
into 4 equal pieces,
each quarter = one baby aspirin
4 baby aspirin
75 mg:
add up to
300 mg.
1 regular aspirin
0
So if you cut an adult aspirin into 4 pieces, you can give the child 1 piece in
place of a baby aspirjn. Both are equal, and the piece of adult aspirin costs less.
CAUTION: Many medicines, especially the antibiotics, come in different weights
and sizes. For example, tetracycline may come in 3 sizes of capsules:
CD
(
250 mg.
I
) 50 mg-
Be-careful to only give medicine in the recommended amounts. It is very
important to check how many grams or milligrams the medicine contains.
For example: If the prescription says: Take tetracycline, 1 capsule or 250 mg.
4 times a day, and you have only 50 mg. capsules, you have to take five 50 mg.
capsules 4 times a day (20 a day)'.
50 mg.
+ 50 mg. +
50 mg. +
50 mg. + 50 mg. =
250 mg.
MEASURING PENICILLIN
Penicillin is often measured in units.
U. = unit
1,600,000 U. = 1 gm. or 1,000 n
Many forms of penicillin (pills and injections) come in doses of 400,000 U.
400,000 U.= 250 mg.
73
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 tablespoon (Tbs.) = 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp.) = 5 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. This is especially important when giving medicines to children.
How to Make Sure that the Teaspoon Used
for Medicine Measures 5 ml.
1. Buy a 5 ml.
measuring spoon.
IVORMAWAY
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.
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.
74
HOW TO GIVE MEDICINES TO SMALL CHILDREN
Many medicines that come as pills or capsules also come in syrups or
suspensions (special liquid form) for children. If you compare the amount of
medicine you get, the syrups are usually more expensive than pills or capsules.
You can save money by making your own syrup in the following way:
Grind up the
pill very well
You must add lots of honey or sugar
when the medicine is very bitter
(tetracycline or chloroquin).
When making syrups for children from pills or capsules, be very careful not to
give too much medicine. Do not mix Isoniazid (INH) for treatment of tuberculosis
with sugar or honey. This makes INH less effective.
HOW MUCH MEDICINE SHOULD YOU GIVE TO CHILDREN
WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADULTS?
Generally, the smaller the child, the less medicine he needs. Giving more than
needed can be dangerous.
If you have information about the doses for children, follow it carefully. If you
do not know the dose, figure it out by using the weight or age of the child.
Children should generally be given the following portions of the adult dose:
1 kilogram (kg.) = 2.2 pounds (lb.)
Give a child
under 1 year
old the dose
for a child of
1 year, but ask
medical advice
when possible.
1] lbs.
75
HOW TO TAKE MEDICINES
It is important to take medicines more or less at the time
recommended. Some medicines should be taken only
once a day, but others must be taken more often. If you
do not have a clock, it does not matter. If the directions
say '1 pill every 8 hours', take 3 a day: one in the morning,
one in the afternoon, and one at night. If they say '1 pill
every 6 hours', take 4 each day: one in the morning, one
at midday, one in the afternoon, and one at night. If the directions are '1 every 4
hours', take 6 a day, allowing more or less the same time between pills.
Whenever you give a medicine to someone else, it is a good idea to write the
instructions and also to have the person repeat to you how and when to take the
medicine. Make very sure he understands.
To remind people who cannot read when
to take their medicine, you can give them
a note like this----------------------------------------- •-
In the blanks at the bottom draw the
amount of medicine they should take and
carefully explain what it means.-----------------
For example:
This means 1 tablet 4 times a day, 1 at
sunrise, 1 at noon, 1 at sunset, 1 in the
middle of the night.
This means '/i tablet 4 times a day.
This means 1 capsule 3 times a day.
This means % tablet twice a day.
This means 2 teaspoons twice a day.
76
WHEN YOU GIVE MEDICINES
TO ANYONE . . .
Always write all the following
information on the note with the
medicine—even if the person cannot read:
■ the person's name-------------------------- ►
blame:
'Pfer*.
■ the name of the medicine-------------- ►
Me&cine-
Piperazine SQOmg.txblets
■ what it is for-------- —-------------------- ►
For:
■ the dosage------------------------------------- -
Dosage:
.
, ,
,
, ,
,
-
Thread. vVrr<
Take
tablet* twice A<Uy
This information can be put on the same
note as the drawing for dosage.
A page of these dosage blanks is
included at the end of the book. Cut them out and use them as needed. When you
run out, you can make more yourself.
When you give medicine to someone, it is a good idea to keep a record of this
same information. If possible, keep a complete Patient Report
TAKING MEDICINES ON A FULL OR EMPTY STOMACH
Some medicines work best when you take them on an empty stomach—that is,
one hour before meals.
Other medicines are less likely to cause upset stomach or heartburn when taken
along with a meal or right afterwards.
Take these medicines
1 hour before meals
■ penicillin
■ ampicillin
■ tetracycline
Take these medicines together
with or soon after meals:
■ aspirin and medicine that
contains aspirin
■ iron (ferrous sulfate)
■ vitamins
It is better not to drink milk an
hour before or after taking
tetracycline.
■ erythromycin
■ P.A.S.
Antacids'do the most good if you take them when the stomach is empty, 1 or
2 hours after meals and at bedtime.
The book Where There Is No Doctor is available
at Rs 29/- plus postage. Multiple copies of reprints
of various chapters are also available.
Please write to:
Publications Officer
Voluntary Health Association of India
C-14 Community Centre
Safdarjung Development Area
New Delhi 110016
Rs- 0.50
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