598 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. : 
number of enantiomorphous pairs of grouplets (A’, A’; B’, B’; — 
©’, C’, for instance) may be placed, one of each pair, in the same _ 
symmetrical framework of balls to form as many assemblages thus 
related as there are possible combinations of the grouplets (eight 
in the case instanced, viz. A”, B’, C’; A’, B’, 0’; A’, B’, O'; 
At, “BE IC!s Al Boal? Al Bi O' ALB 0" (Ae BoC] ee 
arrangement of the framework composed of balls which occupy 
the same relative situations in all the assemblages is, as we have 
said, identical with its own mirror-image. 
When homogeneous assemblages thus related have their 
symmetry partly broken in a similar manner into units of a 
single kind without destroying the asymmetry of the grouplets,’ 
the fluid assemblages which result will not all resemble one 
another in a similar manner. Any two which before the dis- 
turbance form a pair of strict enantiomorphs will resemble one 
another much more closely than two which are not so related, 
although the latter will also have very much in common.” And 
since the links are broken in such a way that the unit groups 
found after the assemblage has been disturbed are all of one kind, 
and there are no loose balls, the fluid assemblages produced will 
not be decomposed, and as many kinds will be presented as occur 
in the undisturbed state. 
Although in the undisturbed state all corresponding distances 
between nearest centres are identical throughout the series of 
assemblages, the distances between centres slightly more removed 
from one another will not be thus identical in the case of two 
assemblages which are not strict enantiomorphs, and in which the 
asymmetrical grouplets are near together. Consequently the 
fluid assemblages derived from two such assemblages may be 
expected to show some difference in stability. 
If the asymmetrical grouplets contained in a composite group 
are not all of different kinds, it is evident that the number of 
possible combinations will be diminished owing to some of those 
above symbolized becoming identical. 
The facts and conclusions of stereo-chemistry are, to a great 
1 Comp. ante, p. 598. 
* See “ Grundriss der Stereochemie,’’ p. 5. Comp. van ’t Hoff und Meyerhoffer’s. 
*«Stéréochimie,’’ pp. 8 and 14. 
