( 289 ) 



a protein, provisionally called substance (' by Miss van Herwerden. 

 Not until the enzym lias been able for a long time to influence 

 these substances, does it form primary albumose from them. At 

 the same time, however, the enzym also appeared at neutral 

 reaction to form from coagulated albumen primary albumose, though 

 in a small quantity. So there i> every reason to consider curdling 

 of milk as a proof of the first stage of proteolysis. 



Taking this into consideration, it is not so wonderful, as it has 

 been regarded, that all kinds of proteolytic enzymes possess the 

 power of curdling milk, though in natural circumstances they never 

 come in contact with caseine. For then the peculiarity is not to be 

 sought for in the enzyme, but in the caseine, the splitting of which 

 already can be observed in a stage of the digestion, in which with 

 other proteins alteration is still quite imperceptible. 



Physics. — "The intensities of the components of spectral lines 

 divided bij magnetism" . By Prof. P. Zeeman. 



If a spectral line is resolved into a triplet by the application 

 of a magnetic field, the two outer components and the middle line 

 will generally differ in intensity. According to the elementary theory 

 of Lorentz of the phenomenon of magnetic resolution there exists a 

 simple relation between these intensities. 



Let J l and /, be the intensities of the outer components and 7, 

 that of the middle line then we may expect that 



r 1 = r s =z'ij, (i) 



It has been often asserted, that generally this relation is not ful- 

 filled, and that triplets frequently have in contradiction with (1) a 

 weak middle line and strong outer components. 



Really some cases ') can be cited, in which the intensities differ 

 from what may be inferred from equation (1). In numerous cases 

 however this contradiction is only apparent, no attention having been 

 paid to a circumstance presently to be mentioned and not yet exa- 

 mined in connexion with our present subject. 



In the very important investigation by Runoe and Paschen 2 ) a 

 calcspar prism was placed before the tube placed in the magnetic 

 field. By means of a quartz lens the two images given by the calc- 



l ) The lines exhibiting Lhe partial polarization observed by Egoroff and Georgiewsky 

 (G.R. 124, 125. 1897) are meant here. 



'-) C. Runuis u. F. Paschen Abb. der Burl. Akad. Anliang. 1902. 



Proceedings Pioyal Acad. Amsterdam. Vol. X. 



