Introduction APIARY [23~, and subsequently GORENSTEIN Eg] and SAMUEL [2(r proved 9 3-~ t that if (2 is a point on a plane curve then no=2d Q, where dQ=dlmw0/ 9 Q and nQ = dim C'Q/~Q, 9 being the local ring of Q, CQ its normalization, and ~Q the conductor. This condition has received attention from a variety of algebraic geometers, and recently ROQUETTE [19J and BEI~GER [52 have put it i n a rat...