--- a/UnitConverter.st	Sun Feb 23 14:40:37 2020 +0100
+++ b/UnitConverter.st	Sun Feb 23 16:28:48 2020 +0100
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-"{ Encoding: utf8 }"
-
 "
  COPYRIGHT (c) 1996 eXept Software AG
               All Rights Reserved
@@ -671,7 +669,7 @@
         ].
         (s startsWith:$() ifTrue:[
             (s endsWith:$)) ifTrue:[
-                s := s copyFrom:2 to:(s size - 1).
+                s := s copyButFirstAndLast.
                 ^ self convert:howMany from:s to:destUnit pairsAlreadyTried:pairsAlready
             ]
         ].
@@ -684,7 +682,7 @@
         ].
         (d startsWith:$() ifTrue:[
             (d endsWith:$)) ifTrue:[
-                d := d copyFrom:2 to:(d size - 1).
+                d := d copyButFirstAndLast.
                 ^ self convert:howMany from:sourceUnit to:d pairsAlreadyTried:pairsAlready
             ]
         ].