Spoons (used by Hahnemann in Paris)

[Cl.Mennel]

Hi David,

frist, I don't know what kind of teaspoon Gaby Rottler has got and how
she meassured it, but all modern teaspoons (Teelöffel) I messured could
contain about 4 ml.

I messured all the different types spoons I have got by dipping them
into a bowl of water, thus filling them and emptying them with a
syringe, hence I could read the mesurement.

I meassured
four teaspoons of different design 1970-90 = 4 ml
teaspoon after 1990 = 3,8 ml
silver teaspoon 1960s = 6 ml
silver teaspoon 1927 = 5 ml
silver teaspoon 1915-20 = 5 ml

That old spoons are bigger than modern ones I found out when I was
little child being taught table manners, it was horrid to eat nicely
with those big old tablespoons and such small hands and such a small mouth.

An interesting detail is that in modern recipes "ein gehäufter Esslöffel
Zucker" a heaped tablespoon sugar equals 20 g sugar, whereas in old
recipes (prewar and 1950s) a heaped tablespoon sugar equals 25 g sugar.

"Esslöffel" tablespoon
Modern tablespoons:
tablespoon after 1990 = 6,5 ml (really! I meassured it trice.)
tablespoon 1980s = 11 ml
tabelspoon 1970s = 12 ml
Silverware spoons tend to be bigger, but maybe that's because they are
older or in a more old-fashioned style.
silver tablespoon 1960s = 17,5 ml
silver tablespoon 1950s = 15 ml
silver tablespoon after WWII = 16,5 ml
silver tablespoon 1927 = 17 ml

Then there is the "Mokkalöffel" (strong coffee/mocha spoon) which is the
same size as the Italien expresso spoon, the Turkish teaspoon and the
Indian coffee spoon.
Hence:
Trukish teaspoon/Italian expresso spoon/Indian coffee spoon/
German "Mokkalöffel" (strong coffee/mocha spoon) all = 2 ml

As you can see all my cuttlery is a hotchpotch of different styles from
different times (only the 1927 cuttlery is a complete set).
The really good old stuff is at my father's, but as far as I remember
the teaspoons before 1900 were the same size like the 1927 and the
1915-20 ones, I'm pretty sure they should contain 5 ml.

Thus, I would assume:
2 ml Mokkalöffel (expresso spoon)
5 ml Teelöffel (teaspoon)

Yours sincerly,
Cl.Mennel

[David Little]

Hello,

Thank you for going through all your spoons. I think it is safe to say
that Hahnemann was using three size spoons in Paris, i.e the tablespoons,
teaspoon and coffee spoon. In most places it takes two coffeespoons to make
and teaspoon and three teaspoons to make a tablespoon. The modern standard
in SI measurements is:

1. Tablespoon 15ML
2. Teaspoon 5ML
3. Coffeespoon 2.5

I think it is best to think in terms of ML so we have a standard within
reason.
Sincerely, David Little
---------------
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Samuel Hahnemann

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David Little © 2000