VELOCITY OF REACTION. HOMOGENEOUS SYSTEMS 39 



This equation was adopted by Madsen for the spontane- 

 ous decomposition of antibodies, n is in this case no 

 whole number, and the equation may be regarded as a 

 purely empirical rule. 



Very regular results corresponding to monomolecular 

 reactions were found at an investigation made by Madsen 

 and Famulener. They studied the attenuation of vibrio- 

 lysin at 48 C. The haemolytic power (/) of a solu- 

 tion of vibriolysin, held in a thermostat, was examined 

 at different times (/). The power is inversely proportional 

 to the quantity of the solution which is necessary to pro- 

 duce a certain effect; e.g. the haemolysis of 10 per cent of 

 a 2.5 per cent suspension of erythrocytes within an hour at 

 37 C. The action evidently follows the law of the mono- 

 molecular reactions, according to the equation : 



by the aid of which the calculated values / ca i c ., which are to 

 be compared with the observed ones / O bs.> ar e deduced. The 

 temperature was 46.4 C. ."=0.0079. 



