50TANIGAL GAZETTE. 79 



^ MoNOTROPA UNiFLOUA. — We read with much iilcasiire unci profit Dr. Kunze's notes 

 upon Monotropa uiiifloni. and we are glad that our tornicr note called them out. While 

 acknowledging- that the weight of the Doctor'^ practical experience militates strongly 

 against ourprevious statement, we still think the evidence in the case warranted us in 

 making a pretty strong statement ot probable poisoning. Since some grave doubts 

 liave been thrown upon the correctness of our uttril)Uting the toxic influences mention- 

 ed to Moiiotropd uu (flora, we have again investigated the case and have evidence that 

 seems rather to strengthen our former statement. This matter we give to the leaders of 

 the Gazette for their own conclusions. 



The young lady, concerned, did not gather the jilnnt in the woods, and hence could 

 not have been poisoned by coming in contact with Ji/ius in that way. She re-aftirms 

 her belief that she was poisoned by the Indian Pipe, as she was handling this plant 

 when she crushed il with the results before mentioned. The examination took place at 

 her home after the i)lant had been brought from the woods. Of course it is barely pos- 

 sible that there might have been some roots of JiJixs about it when she was handling 

 it; although the ])articular specimens, which are in my Herbarium, show no, indications 

 of any matters belonging to another plant, nor do I remember to have seen any when 

 the plants were first given to me. The young lady says she has often handled the Bhun 

 To.r/'codendnm whhtiut any hud effects; but this having been done even several times 

 might not be cf)nclusive evidence at all, that under other .states of tiic constitution this 

 subtile poison would not reach her. 



Of course with the experience of Dr. Kunze and others made known to me, I rec 

 ognize that the cumulative evidence bears stronglj^ against the isolated case we have 

 l)resented. But I have given the facts just as they were given to me, without knowing 

 that tile jdant had any particular value in therapeutics. If it is not a genuine case of 

 jioisoning by this plant, the evidence, all things considered, is very stiong that way. — 

 A. H. YOIIKG, Ldfnyrttf, Tiicl. 



Brydm Atwateri/E. — The discoverer of this plant was, as Elizabeth Emmerson of 

 Vermont, a pupil at the Way Seminary in 1828, when the writer (then Mrs. Lincoln) 

 was preparing for publication her lectures on Botany. Some forty years after this, the 

 formei' pupil visited the writer at her home in Baltimore, introducing her husband, S. 

 T. Atwater, Esq., of Ciiicago. She had cultivated the lo\e of science imbibed J'rom 

 her school teachings. In affluent circumstances, without children, and with an indul- 

 gent husband who was hajipy to gratify her literary and scientific taste, she hail trav- 

 eled mucii and made extensive researches in Natural Science. 



After the renewal of our acquaintance she was a faithful and attentive correspond- 

 ent. At my suggestion she presented to the "Maryland Academy of Sciences" a valu- 

 al)le collection of four hundred botanical specimens. She was elected an honorary 

 member of this society, which alter her death at Bufl'alo, N. Y., in Api'il, IN'IS. paid a 

 fitting tribute to her memory, as an earnest laborer in the cause of .science. 



We take from a Michigan paper an extract from an •iddi-ess of I^rof. Albert D. 

 Hager, before the Chicago Historical Society: 



"Mrs. Atwater was interested in several departments of science, but Botany was 

 iier favorite study. During a sojourn in California she preserved moi'c than 2,000 

 specimens of plants, several of which were new to science." After recounting her val- 

 uable historical records, her philanthropic efforts and her active and generous benevo- 

 lence, the Professor closes by this remark, "It may, in truth, be said that the woiid is 

 made the better as well as the wiser for her having lived in il." 



The following extract from a letter of Feb. 12th, 1878, to the writer, gives the his- 

 tory of the discovery and naming of the Bryum Atioaferue: 



"I forward for your acceptance this little specimen. I believe you will feel an es- 



