Alexander Russell (c. 1715 – 25 November 1768) was a
Scottish physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
and
naturalist, spending 14 years at the English factory in
Aleppo
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Early life
Russell was born in Edinburgh in 1715, the son of lawyer John Russell. He was the half-brother of
Patrick Russell He was educated at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
, and after graduating with an
MD, went to
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in about 1734.
Aleppo
Russell sailed to
Aleppo
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in 1740, having been appointed physician to the English factory there. He became the city's chief medical practitioner, through gaining the confidence of the local
pasha
Pasha, Pacha or Paşa ( ota, پاشا; tr, paşa; sq, Pashë; ar, باشا), in older works sometimes anglicized as bashaw, was a higher rank in the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, gener ...
. In 1754 he returned to England and two years later published his ''Natural History of Aleppo'', with a diary of the progress of the plague in 1742–1744. He was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...
in 1756.
St Thomas's Hospital, London
In 1759 he was elected to fill a vacancy at
St Thomas' Hospital
St Thomas' Hospital is a large NHS teaching hospital in Central London, England. It is one of the institutions that compose the King's Health Partners, an academic health science centre. Administratively part of the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foun ...
in London. He remained in that role until his death on 25 November 1768.
Publications
Russell's written works include:
*Testamen Medicum et Medicastrorum audacitate. Edin. 1709, 8vo.
*''
The Natural History of Aleppo
''The Natural History of Aleppo'' is a 1756 book by naturalist Alexander Russell on the natural history of Aleppo. In 1794 his half-brother, Patrick Russell, revised and expanded the text in a second edition. The book is significant for its qua ...
''. Lond. 1756, 4to. 2d edition revised, enlarged, and illustrated with Notes, by his brother, Patrick Russell, M.D. Lond. 1794, 2 vols. 4to. This valuable history has been translated into different European languages.
*Of a remarkable Marine Production. Phil. Trans. 1762, Abr. xi. 635. Vorticella Ovifera Lin.
*Letter describing the Scammony Plant. Med. Obs. And Inq. i. p. 12, 1755.
*Account of two Paralytic Cases. Ib. p. 296.
*Cases of Lues Venerea cured by a solution of Corrosive Sublimate. Ib. ii. p. 88.
*Of several Hydatids discharged with the Urine. Ib. iii. p. 146. 1767.
*Experiments made with the Decoction of Mezereon in Venereal Nodes. Ib. p. 189.
*Case of almost universal Emphysema. Ib. p. 397.
*An Essay on his Character. Lond. 1770, 4to.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Alexander
1710s births
1768 deaths
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Scottish naturalists
18th-century Scottish people
18th-century Scottish medical doctors
Fellows of the Royal Society