REPORT OF SociETY’s MEETINGS. 173 
large bulk of Liverpool well water, a smaller one of Liverpool upland 
water, a series of samples of “faulty” rums and a series of samples of 
the same “ faulty” rums diluted with Liverpool water. 
Upon analysis the sample of Liverpool well water was found to 
contain 14 grains per gallon of total solids in solution, of which 2.8 
grains consisted of calcium sulphate and 2.2 grains of calcium carbonate, 
It also contained a small proportion of salts of magnesia. The upland 
water contained 5.9 grains per gallon of total solids in solution of which 
1.9 grains were calcium sulphate and .4 grain was calcium carbonate. 
When these waters were mixed with their own bulk of pure alcohol 
of 450/0 over proof both remained clear at 84° F., but when cooled 
to 50° the well water became slightly opalescent whilst the upland 
water remained clear. 
The diluted ‘‘ faulty” rums were next examined and the sediments 
separated. 
Microscoplcally these sediments were found to consist principally of 
amorphous matter mixed with occasional depolarising crystals, probably 
of sulphate and of carbonate of calcium. 
By analytical examination the major portion of the precipitate was 
found to be organic, whilst the inorganic matters consisted of, after 
ignition, calcium sulphate and the carbonates of calcium and magnesium. 
The bulks of these sediments were far greater than if they had consisted 
only of the calcium and some of the magnesium salts present in the 
water used for dilution. 
3 
The samples of “faulty” rum were examined by being mixed with 
equal bulks of distilled water, Liverpool well water, and in some cases 
with Liverpool upland water, using in each case duplicate samples at 
temperatures 84° F. and 50° respectively. 
Of eleven samples examined, all remained quite clear when mixed 
with distilled water, both at 84° and 50° F, Those mixed with upland 
water also remained clear. Six became more or less opalescent when 
mixed with Liverpool well water at 84° and allowed to stand, whilst 
when mixed at 50° nine either deposited marked precipitates or had 
flocculent matters suspended in them. These precipitates and floccu- 
lencies were found to be of similar composition to those present in the 
“faulty ” rums received in an already diluted state. 
The investigation, therefore, indicated that the “ faultiness ” of the 
rums was due to their containing substances precipitable by the lime 
and magnesia salts present in the Liverpool well water, as well as tothe 
