132 LECTURES ON IMMUNITY 



tration of the ferment is also unaltered in time, the quan- 

 tity of triolein decomposed in the unit of time is constant, 

 and the total quantity proportional to the time of reaction. 

 We might perhaps at first expect, with Taylor, that the 

 velocity of reaction might increase about in the proportion 

 1:2.6 for an increase of 10 in temperature; instead of 

 this Taylor found the proportion 1:1.2. This will be easily 

 understood if the solubility of the triolein diminishes in 

 about the proportion i : 2.2 for an elevation of 10 C. The 

 velocity of reaction will then increase in the proportion 



2.6 

 i: =1:1.2, as found by Taylor. Taylor's conclusion 



from the low value 1.2 that we do not observe a velocity of 

 reaction but of some other 'process, such as diffusion, seems 

 not very convincing. 



Kastle and Loewenhart 1 had already (1900) found that 

 the velocity of reaction of monobutrinwith animal lipase is 

 proportional to the concentration of the ferment. 



Here we observe evidently a very simple monomolecular 

 process. New investigations on the different results of 

 Connstein, Hoyer, and Wartenberg seem therefore very 

 desirable. 



Taylor found that the process is reversible, the ester may 

 be formed from glycerine and fatty acid under the influence 

 of the lipase. The equilibrium is reached very slowly and 

 does not differ sensibly from that attained under the influ- 

 ence of an acid. The following end-values were obtained 

 by means of normal sulphuric acid and lipase (after 

 several months): 



1 Kastle and Loewenhart : Amer. Chem. Journ. 24. 491 (1900), as cited 

 by Taylor. 



