Decomposition Reactions of Organic Compounds in the Gaseous State

PERHAPS Prof. Hinshelwood will excuse me if I suggest that no useful purpose is effected by discussing the treatment of isolated sets of experimental data on the lines indicated in his letter in NATURE of June 4, p. 1010. Space would not permit me to go into the question in detail ; and to counter with similar illustrations from his own work would be waste of time. Doubtless our methods are very far from perfect, and I may say that after, not merely twelve, but forty-two years' experience of work with gases, I find that the difficulties are such that the greater part of the work of most labourers in this fascinating field washes out.