1229 
the investigations of Dr. ps Leruw and to communicate here the results. 
First of all, the criticism did not concern my work only, but also 
that of Messrs. van Kroosrer and Smit who carried this out at my 
request and whose work [ wish to defend and in the second place, 
owing to a paper by Messrs. KonnstamM and Ornstein '), the question 
as to the change of the transition point of sulphur has been intro- 
duced into the discussion of the heat theorem of Nernst. Looking 
at the eminent importance of the problem whether the facts confirm, 
or do not confirm the conclusions from the heat theorem, each ex- 
perimental fact supporting the theorem must be as much as possible 
elucidated. 
Therefore, [ will discuss the said treatise of pu Leeuw, but only 
in so far as required by the considerations just mentioned. 
I have first of all verified whether the result of pr Lrxzuw’s ex- 
periment is correct namely, that a dilatometer, which contains a 
sulphur mixture rich in S,, after it has been placed for some hours 
in a thermostat at 70’—80° C., exhibits a rise of the liquid in the 
capillary which is followed by a fall. This indeed proved to be the 
case. This verification appeared to me necessary. because the state- 
ments in DE Lersuw’s table only contain observations of changes 
which sometimes amount to only 1'/, mm. and seldom more than 
2mm. For no one who has experience with the dilatometer these 
observations will have any definite value. And although the fact first 
investigated proved correct, the conclusions arrived at by pr Leeuw 
are not proof against a more elaborate investigation. 
The rise observed is attributed in all the treatises cited to the 
change in volume in the conversion Sn — Sion, because the con- 
versions Smon— Sin, Ou Sn and S,— Sinon take place with con- 
traction of volume. Owing to the reaction S,—S; taking place 
meanwhile, the S, concentration is attained at which the conversion 
Sn — Sinon at the temperature of experiment ceases; hence the rise 
in the capillary ceases also and a fall is exhibited there as a con- 
sequence of the still proceeding reaction S,-—S;. On elevation of 
the temperature the phenomenon ought to repeat itself each time. 
Such are the views of Dr. pr Lieeuw. In fig. 1 the thin line with the 
arrows indicates the changes of condition which the sulphur in the 
dilatometer ought to pass through. 
In my experiments, however, it appeared that the behaviour of 
the dilatometer: is absolutely contrary to the expectations raised by 
this diagram. 
1) These Proceedings XIV p, S02, 
