ALSTON, CHARLES, M. D. a writer on medicine and botany, and lecturer on botany and materia medica in the University of Edinburgh. He was born in the west of Scotland, in 1683, and received the first parts of his education at Glasgow. While a student there, he had the good fortune to be taken under the patronage of the dutchess of Hamilton; and by the assistance of that lady, he was enabled to accomplish the design which lie had already formed, of attaching himself to physic. For some time he continued to exert himself in acquir ing such a knowledge of anatomy and chemistry, as Scotland. in those days, could afford him the means of attaining ; and, at the age of 33, he accompanied the celebrated Alexander Munro to Leyden, and studied under Boerhaave, who then enjoyed a high reputation in that city. On their return, these distinguished indi vichrals, in conjunction with Plummer, Sinclair and Rutherford, began their lectures, in the University of Edinburgh ; and by their talents, their activity, and zeal, laid the foundation of that school of physic. The de partments undertaken by Alston were those of botany and materia medica ; and in these branches, an acquain tance with which is indispensably necessary to every one who would accomplish himself in the therapeutic art, he laboured with clic reasing reputation till his death, which happened in 1760. In the year 1753, Dr Alston
published a dissertation on the sexes of plants, in which he combats, with no little ability, the doctrine of Lin nam s upon the same subject. This treatise appeared in the Edinburgh Physical and Literary Essays ; and he indulged in it an asperity of language which was very unsuitable to a discussion of a philosophical nature, but which Linnaeus had provoked by some of his descrip tions. He published also, in the Edinburgh Medical Essays, a paper on the effects of tin as an anthelminthic. It was given in substance to the extent of an ounce, and carried off in the succeeding days by means of the less violent purgatives. It is still a medicine of consi derable repute. Dr Alston likewise engaged in a con troversy with Dr \Vhytt about quicklime ; but the most valuable of all his works are his Lectures on the Mate ria Medica, in two volumes 4to. They were published in the year 1770, and contain many interesting and use ful statements ; though, from the improvements of later and more cultivated times, they could not be pursued at present with any great prospect of advantage. See Physical and Lit. Essays, vol. i. and the Edin. Med. Essays, vol, v. (h)