444 
Lincoln—Electrical Conductivity . 
solved substance and the solvent. This factor of the influence 
of the solvent upon the dissolved substance, is one that is no 
doubt of very great importance; and in the development of the 
electrolytic dissociation theory (which is based upon the behav¬ 
ior of aqueous solutions) the action of the solvent upon the dis¬ 
solved substance has been entirely neglected. The opponents of 
the dissociation theory present this fact in a rather forcible 
manner. 1 
Fitzpatrick concludes from his investigation on the conduc¬ 
tivity of alcoholic solutions that the action of the solvent upon 
the dissolved substance is a chemical one. He conceives the 
dissolved salt as decomposing and forming molecular groups in 
the solvent. Owing to the large excess of the solvent there will 
be a continual decomposition and recombination of these molec¬ 
ular groups. He cautions one against regarding the solvent 
as a medium in which the salt particles are suspended or as a 
dissociating agent. Wildermann 2 , on the other hand, recog¬ 
nizes two kinds of dissociation — one, the electrolytic dissocia¬ 
tion of the dissolved substance, and, the other, the dissociation 
of the larger molecular aggregates into smaller ones. For ex¬ 
ample, in a solution of KC1 in water the following aggregates 
are assumed to exist: K 2 C1 2 , KC1, K 2 C1, KCL,, K and Cl. 
He further maintains that solutions of all substances, whatever 
the solvent or concentration, undergo electrolytic dissociation. 
Cattaneo 3 was impressed with the fact that the molecular 
conductivity is greatly influenced by the nature of the solvent 
employed. He was not able, however, to point out any 
direct relation existing between the various proper¬ 
ties of the solvents which yield solutions that con¬ 
duct. Konovaloff, 4 from his work on the amines, con¬ 
cludes that only those solvents that react chemically with the 
dissolved substance yield solutions that conduct. It is true 
Fitzgerald’s “ Helmholtz’ Memorial Lecture,” Jour. Chem. Soc. 69 ,. 
i, 885; 1896. 
2 Ber. chem. Ges. Berlin 26 1773 and 1881; 1893. 
3 Bend. Accad. Line ., II, 63 and 73; 1895. (Ref.) Jour. Chem. Soc.. 
72, ii, 537; 1897. 
4 Wied. Ann ., 49 , 733; 1893. 
