2 TiMEHRI. 
' — — - — 
matter, but from the optical phenomenon known as fluores- 
cence. This is caused by the presence of a micro-organism, 
which was found to be invariably present in samples of 
*' faulty'' spirit, but absent in those certified as sound ; 
further if the diluted spirit is passed through a ba6lerial 
filter, the fluorescence disappears simultaneously with 
the removal of the micro-organism." 
Messrs. Booker Bros. & Co. have submitted to us 
copies of correspondence which has taken place between 
Mr. Veley and certain exporters of rum from this Colony 
with respe6l to the discovery of this remarkable organism 
and the alleged conne6lion between the presence of the 
microbe in rum and the "faultiness" of the spirit. 
The recorded observations and experiments do not 
appear to us to in any way prove the connexion of the 
organism with the " faultiness", but, on the contrary, to 
iildicate that the presence of the organism is accidental 
and not conne6led with the " faultiness" of the rum. 
The discovery of a microbe capable of living in rum of 
40 o.p. and having the alleged power of causing, either by 
its presence or by the substances which it produces, a 
cloudiness or an opalescence in the spirit upon dilution, 
being a matter of great importance to the planters of this 
Colony, we have taken steps to enquire into the proba- 
bility of there being any conne6lion between the presence 
of an organism in rum and the so-called " faultiness." 
With this obje6l we first examined microscopically the 
sediments which we had obtained during our previous in- 
vestigation into the cause of " faultiness." In the micro- 
scopical work we were assisted by Mr. C. W. DANIELS, 
M.B., Cantab., M.R.C.S.E. of the Government Medical 
Service, and all agreed upon the results of the ex- 
