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From: werner@aecom.YU.EDU (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: metric system
Message-ID: <1258@aecom.YU.EDU>
Date: Sat, 8-Aug-87 18:12:22 EDT
Article-I.D.: aecom.1258
Posted: Sat Aug  8 18:12:22 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Aug-87 04:41:39 EDT
References: <238@etn-rad.UUCP> <4808@utah-cs.UUCP> <3657@ecsvax.UUCP>
Distribution: sci.misc
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 30

In article <3657@ecsvax.UUCP>, dgary@ecsvax.UUCP (D Gary Grady) writes:
> For the record, 0 degrees F is the temperature at which saturated brine
> freezes.

And another question of trivia: where 100 degrees originate?



Actually, I'll forestall the mail, and give the answer now.




While 0 degrees F was obtained by measuring the melting temperature of
a saturated salt solution, Gabriel Fahrenheit obtained 100 Fahrenheit
by measuring his body temperature.  He was the inventor of the thermometer,
and the first to calibrate one.

	History, as far as I know, does not indicate why Fahrenheit's
temperature was 1.4F higher than average.  It could have been genetic, or
he may have suffered from a chronic infection such as tuberculosis resulting
in a constant low grade fever. And that is why we all (or most of us
anyway), have a temperature of 98.6 instead of 100.


-- 
	        Craig Werner   (future MD/PhD, 3 years down, 4 to go)
	     werner@aecom.YU.EDU -- Albert Einstein College of Medicine
              (1935-14E Eastchester Rd., Bronx NY 10461, 212-931-2517)
                         "I wouldn't have invited me either."