1897 - 98 .] Note on certain Chemical Reactions. 
37 
(e) Reactions of technical importance. 
The inversion of cane-sugar by weak acids. 
The alcoholic fermentation. 
The acetic fermentation. 
Nitrification. 
(/) Many reactions relating to the physiology of plants and 
animals. 
Certain chemical changes involved in carbon assimilation, 
in the germination of seeds, and in the ripening of 
fruits. 
The conversion of urea in urine into ammonium carbonate. 
The lactic fermentation. 
The following proposition has been found useful as a working 
hypothesis. It is stated here for this reason. 
The degradation of potential chemical energy is generally associ- 
ated with molecular rearrangement involving diminished electrical 
resistance. Decrease of electrical resistance may result either from : 
(a) Increased electrolytic conductivity. 
(b) Increased metallic conductivity. 
In the case of non-conducting substances (dielectrics), increase 
of specific inductive capacity is regarded as equivalent to decrease 
of electric resistance. 
A loss in any one of these properties may be compensated by 
a gain in one or both the others. 
A paper giving full details will shortly be laid before the 
Society. 
