MEMOIR OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF 
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Xll 
to the subordinate settlements and military stations, to be dispersed for general informa¬ 
tion. One of the most obvious marks of discrimination is, that a poisonous serpent has 
no row of teeth in the upper jaw, which, on the other hand, a harmless serpent invariably 
possesses. 
It may not be improper to mention here, that about this time, the secret of a remedy 
long in use among the natives for the bite of venomous and rabid animals, and generally 
known by the name of the Tanjore pill, was purchased by the Madras Government from 
a Brahmin. Besides arsenic and mercury, the medicine was found, upon analysis, to 
contain one or two unknown ingredients. Having procured parcels of these last, under 
the Malabar and Gentoo names, Dr. Russell himself made up a considerable quantity of 
the pills, carefully employing the prescribed proportions of each ingredient. These 
pills were distributed to the different settlements,with directions to the medical gentlemen, 
to report their effects, as occasions should occur. From Dr. Russell's own experience, 
as well as from some interesting communications by Mr. Duffin, then surgeon at Vellore, 
it appears that this remedy has often proved fallacious, both in cases of the bite of snakes 
and of mad dogs : still however Dr. Russell, while he admitted that its “ efficacy was a 
matter of difficult discussion,” was inclined to think favourably of it, and to encourage 
hopes that further experience might confirm its good character. 
Dr. Russell occasionally employed himself, while in India, in arranging the ample 
and valuable materials concerning the plague, which he had long before collected in 
Syria. In 1 787 he sent home a fair copy of his labours, and solicited the friendly revisal 
of his eminent literary cotemporaries, Dr. William Robertson, Dr. Adam Ferguson, Dr. 
Adam Smith. 
Among various incidental communications transmitted to Britain, we shall only 
mention that, in 1 7 88, he sent to Sir Joseph Banks an account of the Tabasheer , or gritty 
matter found in the hollow stem of the bamboo, and which is supposed in India to be 
possessed of extraordinary virtues. He sent also specimens of this substance, which 
were laid before the Royal Society in March, 1790. It was analyzed by Mr. Macie, F. R. S. 
and found to consist nearly of pure silex.* 
In January, 1 7 89, Dr. Russell embarked for England with his brother and family. 
He at this time deposited his collection of specimens of fishes, and his Indian herbarium, 
in the Company’s Museum at Madras. 
In 1791 his Treatise on the Plague appeared in two volumes quarto. In this valuable 
work, he first gives an account of the plagues at Aleppo, in the years 1 7 60, 1 761, and 
17 62 ; then a medical account of the disease ; this is followed by essays on pestilential 
contagion, on quarantines, and on lazarettos; with remarks on the police to be observed 
in the time of the plague: several interesting cases of patients labouring under the disease 
are given in detail; and a register of the weather during the pestilential season is sub¬ 
joined. 
It has already been mentioned that Dr. Alexander Russell had projected a new edition 
of his History of Aleppo, and had applied to Dr. Patrick Russell for information on 
various topics. Dr. Alexander died, however, in 1 768, without having accomplished 
this intention, although he had collected a considerable quantity of new, and valuable 
materials. “ The prosecution of his brother’s plan forcibly struck Dr. Patrick Russell, 
in the light of a debt due to friendship; ”+ on this delicate principle he declined to 
follow the advice of Dr. Robertson, and some other eminent literary friends, who wished 
* Phil. Trans. 1791. 
t Preface to 2d. Edit. p. vi. 
