9G2 



Consequently the muscles that are in a state of tonus satisfy 

 better the indispensable condition of rigor mortis, namely sutfocation, 

 than the atonic ones. The leg with tonus muscles also satisfies 

 better the 2"'^ condition namely the condition of being influenced 

 by the nerves. 



For these muscles constantly receive indeed stimulants by way 

 of reflection, whereas the other atonic leg remains without these 

 stimulants. The conseciuence of both the more intense alteration of 

 the chemical state and the influence of the reflection is that the leg 

 of which the tonus-reflection track remains uninjured, stiffens sooner 

 than the leg of which this reflection-track is interrupted at the 

 posterior roots or near the llami communicantes. We must thus 

 consider the rigor mortis of the skeleton muscles as a last vital 

 demonstration of the muscles under the influence of suffocation, 

 whilst stimulants running along the ton us-retlection-t rack accelerate 

 this process. That rigor mortis is a last (tonical) contraction of the 

 muscles is apparent from the fact that the muscles that have lost 

 their irritability in an atmosphere of oxygen, can no more stiffen 

 or shorten under circumstances of suffocation. 



Chemistry.' — ''On the rcdactlon of aroniatlc ketones'. II. By 

 Prof. J. BöEsEKEN and W. D. Cohen. (Communicated by 



Prof. A. F. HOLLEMAN). 



(Communicated in the Meeting of l*\'biLuiiy 28, 1914). 



In our previous communication on this subject 'j we have assumed 

 that by reduction of the ketones the half pinacone molecule is in all 

 cases the sole direct reductioji producr. 



If, in the position where that partial molecule is formed, there are 

 practically no OH-ions it polymerises immediately to pinacone. 



In the presence of OH', however, there was always found benz- 

 hydrole and the question arose whether this was caused by direct 

 reduction or by the transformation of the pre\ iously formed pinacone 

 into benzophenone and benzhydrole by the OH-ioJis. 



These alternatives may be represented by the schemes 



(C,H3),CO-^(C,H3),COH-^(C,HJ./JHOH ... (I) 

 (C«H,),CO -. (C,H,),COH ^ [(C«HJ,COH], ^ (C„H,),CHOH + 



+ (CeH3),C() (11^ 



1) Proc. XVi, 91 (1913). 



