101 



represent this by a figure, we obtain in the vaponr ii state a ; and 

 after tins the state b is reached in tlie liquid along an exactly 

 horizontal line, for the vaj)onrlension remains absolutely the same; 

 only the composition of the celloidin changes, a lies of course at 

 a lower pressure than a' in the figure, which stands for pure 

 alcohol ; in the latter a'b' is only approximately horizontal. 



/ 



/ 



OC 



It is evident that in this case the greater absorption in the liquid 

 must be connected with the solubility of the salt in the gelatijie or 

 celloidin. According to the colloid absorbing more salt, the difterence 

 between the vapour and the liquid equilibrium will be all the greater. 

 We believe a closer study of this subject may probably bear fruit 

 with a view to the knowledge of the behaviour of jellies in different 

 solutions. We intend to start experiments about this with celloidin, 

 which, as to stability, has great advantages over gelatine with which 

 suchlike experiments have been made up to the present^). We do 

 not consider skinpowder an ideal substance for this purpose either^). 



As a summary we think, we can say that the pi'etended conflict 

 with the second law of thermodynamics has been put an end to, 

 and that von Schroeder's phenomenon in the principal case is due 

 to a slowly coming equilibrium ; one may expect it in all cases 

 where the vapourtension already approaches the tension of the pure 

 liquid \ery nearl\', a long time before the equilibrium has been 

 attained. If the liquid absorbed is a solution of a nonvolatile sub- 

 stance, another explanation must be given. 



Path. Anat. and Inory. Cliem. Lab. 

 University of Amsterdam. 



^) HoFxMEiSTER, among others. 



•) Herzog and Adler, Koll. Zeitschr. 2, Supplem. heft Ü, (1908). 



