Though not as accurate as oral or rectal methods armpit is commonly used as a place for measuring the temperature. What body parts to measure bicep upper arm left and right calf left and right chest forearm left and right hips neck shoulders thigh left and right waist.
Measuring Length Using Body Parts
How body parts can be used for measuring. If you stretch out your arms to either side of your body as far as theyll go the distance between the tips of your middle fingers will be very close to your height or about six feetyour own feet that isa length also known as a fathom. Cubit from latin cubitum the elbow a cubit was a measurement based on the forearm from elbow to fingertip. The distance between your nose. A thermometer is used to measure body temperature. Measurement of objects using body parts the handful the thumb measures 1 inch which is now the basis of measurement. It might also help you remember the measurements because you have to use parts of your body instead of inches feet and yards.
Long before the thumb would be used to measure almost everything. Your forearm from elbow to fingertip. Before we had precise standardized units of measure such as meters and feet lengths and even ocasionally volumes were reckoned based on the average dimensions of human body parts. Using your body to estimate length your hand. Digit in latin digitus could mean either finger or toe. Although its a nonstandard unit of measurement its conveniently with you all the time.
You can measure this two ways 1. Eight body based units of measurement. The exact length varied according to whose arm was being used and could be from 18 to 22 inches. An average foot is about 12 inches long. From nose to finger tip. The thermometer is placed underarm with the bulb in the center of the armpit.
Your forearm is about 15 feet 46 centimeters. Hold the tape at the center of the front waist. The width of your palm is about 4 inches 10 centimeters. Example carpenters use their thumb to measure small insignificant measurements. Your body can be used as a measuring tool when you dont have a measuring tape conveniently with you. Parts can be measured with a teaspoon a measuring cup or even your favorite mug or bowl if you want to connect with the methodology of your ancestors.
It is quite a simple method to execute. Another way is to sit comfortably in a chair and measure from the waist to the place where your bottom rests on the chairi prefer the second way. In body based units of measurement at interesting thing of the day i listed a few such historical units of measure which can still come in handy for rough approximations if you dont have a ruler or tape measure handy. Take the tape to the back of the waist between your legs 2. The width of a thumb which was later used as the basis for the inch. It is my personal belief that the marriage of the scientific and the folk approach is what creates a well rounded understanding of herbalism.