oe 
ON DYNAMIC ISOMERISM. 143 
curves were found to be more complex, giving indications of at least 
three successive changes involving four isomeric compounds. These 
experiments have been described in detail in two papers published during 
the past year (Glover and Lowry, ‘ Trans. Chem. Soc.,’ 1912, 101, 
1902-1912; 1913, 103, 913-924). 
Experiments are now in progress with a view to investigating 
Forster’s a-benzoyl camphor, the enolic form of which has been found 
to give inflected mutarotation curves when ethylene chloride is used as 
a solvent in place of chloroform. Even nitrocamphor has been found 
to give inflected curves if dissolved in ethylene chloride or in benzene 
(Lowry and Courtman, ‘ Trans. Chem. Soc.,’ 1913, 103, 1216), but 
it is believed that these are due to the gradual absorption of a catalyst 
from the walls of the polarimeter tube, and not to successive isomeric 
changes. 
C. Influence of Light. 
A series of experiments on the influence of light on isomeric change 
(Lowry and Courtman, ‘ Trans. Chem. Soc.,’ 1913, 108, 1214-1221) 
has shown that no marked acceleration is produced by exposing nitro- 
camphor, glucose, galactose or maltose to the action of powerful ultra- 
violet light. In the case of aminomethylene camphor, however, ver™ 
marked acceleration occurs whilst the light is acting, but the action 
reverts to its original slow rate of change when the light is withdrawn. 
In the case of (enolic) a-benzoyl camphor a similar acceleration is pro- 
duced, but the effect continues after the light has been extinguished; 
it is believed that this permanent stimulation of the action is due to the 
liberation of benzoic acid acting as a catalytic agent. 
The Study of Plant Enzymes, particularly with relation to 
Oxidation.—Second Report of the Committee, consisting of 
Mr. A. D. Hatui (Chairman), Dr. E. F. Armstronea (Secre- 
tary), Professor H. E. ARMSTRONG, Professor F. KEEBLE, and 
Dr. EK. J. Russet. 
THE inquiry has been continued in various directions during the past 
year, as shown by the following list of communications to the Royal 
Society :— 
(a) Herbage Studies. II. Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium 
repens, cyanophoric plants. By H. E. Armstrong, HE. F. Armstrong, 
and HK. Horton. 
(b) Studies on Enzyme Action. XIX. Urease. II. Observa- 
tions on Accelerative and Inhibitive Agents. By H. E. Armstrong, 
M. 8. Benjamin, and E. Horton. 
(c) Studies on the Processes operative in Solution (XXX.) and on 
Enzyme Action (XX.). The nature of enzymes and of their action as 
hydrolytic agents. By E. F. Armstrong and H. HE. Armstrong. 
(d) Studies on Enzyme Action (XXI.). Lipase. III. By H. E. 
Armstrong and H. W. Gosney. 
(e) The Roéle of Oxydases in the Formation of the Anthocyan Pig- 
