Weights and Measures, Central Board of

the central state metrological organization, established in 1893 by D. I. Mendeleev to provide a uniform, exact, and interrelated system of weights and measures. In 1931 it was reorganized as the All-Union Institute of Metrology and Standardization, out of which in 1934 was organized the D. I. Mendeleev All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Metrology (VNIIM).