go THE QUANTUM [vi. 3 
The experimental basis for the supposition of molecular 
orientation in polyatomic gases is thus rendered very uncertain ; 
in any case Glaser’s explanation is not altogether satisfactory, for 
as Pauli * * * * § has pointed out, the total quantum numbers for the 
majority of the molecules, and therefore the numbers of possible 
orientations, are so large that the molecules might almost be 
regarded as orientated in all directions. The same argument 
tells against any alteration of refractive index of such a gas on 
applying a magnetic field transversely to the direction of propaga 
tion of the light. Ghosh and Mahanti f have reported such an 
alteration in the refractive index of carbon dioxide, but this is 
not confirmed by Appleyard.J Krishnan § has searched for a 
double refraction under the same conditions as those in the 
experiments of Ghosh and Mahanti, but the results were uniformly 
negative. 
REFERENCE 
C. G. Darwin (Proc. Roy. Soc., vol. 117, p. 258, 1927) has treated the 
theory of the Stern-Gerlach experiment from the standpoint of the new 
undulatory mechanics, and has shown that a satisfactory explanation 
of the results is obtained by treating the electron as a wave. 
* Pauli, Phys. Zeits., vol. 26, p. 217, 1925. 
t Ghosh and Mahanti, Nature, vol. 118, p. 734, 1926. 
% Appleyard, Nature, vol. 119, p. 353, 1927. 
§ Krishnan, Proc. Ind. Assoc. Cult. Sci., vol. 10, p. 35, 1926.