Roman scales for a medical equipment

[hadrianus batavius]

Ave, My name is Robert Schmits live in Rome and am a legionnaire in the 1st contubernium of Legio XXX Ulpia Traiana Victrix. We are reconstructing a kit for our medic. Does anyone have a picture of the Roman scales which medics used? They should look a bit like the scales in this link http://www.lonelyplanetimages.com/photos/3268-28.htm
Thanks in advance :wink: [/img]

[jvrjenivs]

Maybe you could get in contact with Maarten Dolmans from the Dutch re-enactment group PAX ROMANA. He's working on military medicine.

[hadrianus batavius]

Ave Jvrjenivs Peregrinvs Magnvs, I will do that thanks! or bij voorbaat bedankt.

[Maximio]

Does anyone have a picture of the Roman scales which medics used? They

Here is a link to a photo of a small set of scales purportedly Roman

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z82/ ... mmlong.jpg

The three chains would attach to a small pan and they would have been suspended or even held by the person using them. An easy thing to make though I have to be honest and say that though the claim is that they are Roman I cannot guarantee their authenticity. The principle of them is sound at least.

[Carlton Bach]

A set of small Roman scales was excavated at the Temple of Mercury in Regensburg. It is designed to be held or suspended, with arms that fold out for use and in for storage. The scales them,selves are relatively flat. other than that it looks exactly like the kind of scales excavated all over the Early Medieval period.

I can't uplosad my pictures, but if you PM me an address I can mail them as an attachment.

[Martin Moser]

Does anyone have a picture of the Roman scales which medics used?

You can use whatever size/sort scale you want, actually (as long as it is of proper design, of course), since we don't know what kind was used specifically by medics. I very much doubt that there was anything like medical scales at all. Of small scales, there are quite a few finds around, e.g. here

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

There are some in the Edinburgh museum Roman section.

[hadrianus batavius]

Ave Jvrjenivs Peregrinvs Magnvs, Maximio, Martin Moser,Carlton Bach & Gaius Julius Caesar, Thanks for the swift response I will transfer the information to our medic. Thanks Julius Caesar, our medic goes often goes to Scotland so he can have a look in the Edinburgh museum. Thanks in advance Martin for sending me the images. Thanks Maximio for the link, these scales are a wee bit to big - if you come to Rome one day you will see the same scales used on the fruit market still today!. Thanks jvrjenivs I will contact Maarten.

[Maximio]

There are some in the Edinburgh museum Roman section.

Splendid, now do be a jolly good chap and pop over with your camera if you would.

I always knew there was a reason for posting you up on the northern frontier. (I may even lift your sheild up on the unit photos). :twisted:

[Maximio]

A set of small Roman scales was excavated at the Temple of Mercury in Regensburg. It is designed to be held or suspended, with arms that fold out for use and in for storage. The scales them,selves are relatively flat. other than that it looks exactly like the kind of scales excavated all over the Early Medieval period.

I can't uplosad my pictures, but if you PM me an address I can mail them as an attachment.

I've added a link for the photos Volker mentions - Many thanks for sending them to me V.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z82/ ... nsburg.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z82/ ... etail2.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z82/ ... detail.jpg

The thing that strikes me is with a single pin in the arms how they would be "locked" to stop them inadvertently bending when weights were added to the trays? Or were they meant to be disassembled when not in use and the pin acted not as a pivot but a lock? (Does that make sense?)

[Carlton Bach]

I think the hing only works one way. Youi can do this by giving the inner 'tongue' an angled profile instead of making it round like you would in a free hinge. That way, it can fold upwards, but not downwards.

Does this forum do ASCII-graphics?

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Like that.

[Carlton Bach]

Evidently, no ASCII graphics. I hope you know what I mean anyway.

[Maximio]

I think the hing only works one way. Youi can do this by giving the inner 'tongue' an angled profile instead of making it round like you would in a free hinge. That way, it can fold upwards, but not downwards.

Of course, how simple when you think about it.

Doh I should bloody well know that anyway - it's the basic principle of how a joint works. Good job I didn't go into orthopaedics. :lol:

Thanks Volker