MECHANISM OF PROCESS OF DEATH 77 



The result will be quite different if the two reac- 

 tions have different temperature coefficients. Let us 

 suppose that the speed of the reaction A — *-M is deter- 

 mined by diffusion (as happens in some heterogeneous 

 reactions) and has in consequence a low temperature 

 coefficient which we will assume to be 1.2. Assuming that 

 the reaction M — >-B has a temperature coefficient 2 we 



TABLE III. 



find than on raising the temperature 10° C, K^ becomes 

 0.0216 and K^ becomes 1.080. The values under these 

 conditions are given in Table III (Curve III). 



Let us now consider the effect when the temperature 

 coefficient of the first reaction is 2 and that of the second 

 is 1.2. On raising the temperature 10° C. K^ becomes 

 0.036 and K.2 becomes 0.648. The values are given 

 in Table III (Curve IV). The form of the curve is quite 

 different from that of the others in that there is first a 

 rise followed by a fall. In experimental work a short 

 period of rise might be overlooked or regarded as due 

 to experimental error or some disturbing ("inhibiting") 

 factor, such as is commonly assumed to account for delay 

 at the beginning of a reaction. 



If the observe* supposed that he had to do with a 



