88o.l 
( 7^9 ) 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
* The Editor does not hold himself responsible for statements of fadts or 
* opinions expressed in Correspondence, or in Articles bearing the signature 
of their respe&ive authors. 
CHEMICAL NATURE OF GROUND IVY. 
To the Editor of The Journal of Science . 
S IR —Can any of your readers inform me whether the chemical 
principle of the ground ivy ( Gleichoma hederacea) has been iso- 
lated, and, if so, whether it is an alkaloid, essential oil, or other- 
wise ? The medicinal effects of the plant (a specimen of which 
I enclose) are astringent and diuretic ; it is also slightly tonic, 
and has been used as a lotion and internally with marked suc- 
cess in certain scorbutic affeaions, especially in cases of Impetigo; 
—I am, &c., E R H 
Newport, Isle of Wight. 
THE SPIRIT OF NATURE. 
To the Editor of the Journal of Science. 
Sir —When my attention was first directed to the article (in the 
September number of this Journal) bearing the above title I felt 
somewhat flattered to find my “ Spirit of Nature dividing with 
a honoured dignitary of the church the honours of so extended 
a notice But on reading it I was not a little disappointed to 
find that while Mr. Slater had apparently done my book the 
honour of Tending a great part of it, he had not ^done > himse or 
his readers the justice of understanding it. While he might, 
by being at a little pains to unfold and clearly state the position 
I take up, have exemplified that courage and zeal for truth to 
which h class lay almost too vociferous claim, he prefers the 
method Tf the callow curate who dresses up a scarecrow 
-Darwin” or “Huxley” in order to pluck it mercilessly to 
pieces. He accordingly commences operations by drawing the 
f °T°NTturel” 1 he writes, on the second page of his paper, by way 
of elucidating our position, “is still declared perfedt, and de- 
fended against thecharge of ‘cruelty;’ pain and suffering, if 
