Ill 



although at the beginning of the experiments them- 

 selves three quarts of the reacting amounts are trans- 

 formed. 



From a theoretical point of view the above relation 

 indicates, that during the action of toxin upon antitoxin 

 two molecules of the former attack an exceedingly small 

 fraction of the latter (according to the formula o). The 

 last mentioned circumstance could be explained thus, 

 that the molecules of antitoxin are to a very great ex- 

 tent composed of great aggregates of molecules, which 

 do not to an appreciable degree react with the toxin. 

 The molecules of toxin should then combine with onlv 

 a very small part, y, of the molecules of antitoxin, this 

 being in chemical equilibrium to the other according 

 to the formula 



y = = (B - - x - - y) 

 or 



1 

 y = = (B - - x - - y) n 



in which n is a very great tigure. 



On the other hand from the equilibrium, mentioned 

 above, the conclusion was drawn, that during the reac- 

 tion between toxin and antitoxin one molecule of the 

 former combines with one molecule of the latter for- 

 ming two molecules of combination. This conclusion, 

 which is based upon the mechanical theory of heat, is 

 undoubtly much more probable than the latter, based 

 upon kinetical views. It must be remembered, that 

 this is not the first time, velocities of reaction behave 

 differently from what we should expect from the che- 

 mical formula of reaction. 



The equation given above is still of so peculiar a 

 form that a thorough investigation of its signification 



86 



