Short Discourse Concerning Pestilential Contagion, and the Methods to Be Used to Prevent It

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h1>A SHORT<br/>DISCOURSE<br/>CONCERNING<br/><i>Pestilential Contagion</i>,<br/>AND THE<br/>METHODS<br/>To be used to Prevent it.<br/></h1> <h2>By <i>RICHARD MEAD</i>, M.D.</h2> <h5>Fellow of the College of Physicians and of the Royal Society.</h5> <p><br/>TO THE<br/> Right Honourable<br/> <i>James Craggs</i>, Esq;<br/> ONE OF<br/> His Majesties principal<br/> Secretaries of State.<br/> <br/></p> <p><i>SIR</i>,</p> <p>I <i>Most humbly offer to You my Thoughts concerning the</i> Prevention of the Plague, <i>which I have put together</i> <i>by your Command. As soon as you was pleased to signify to me, in his</i> Majestie's <i>Absence; that their Excellencies the</i> Lords Justices <i>thought it necessary for the Publick Safety, upon the Account of the</i> Sickness <i>now in</i> France, <i>that proper Directions should be drawn up to defend our selves from such a Calamity; I most readily undertook the Task, though upon short Warning, and with little Leisure: I have therefore rather put down the</i> principal Heads of Caution, <i>than a</i> Set of Directions in Form.</p> <p>The first, <i>which relate to</i> the performing Quarentines, <i>&amp;c. You, who are perfectly versed in the History of</i> Europe, <i>will see are agreable to what is practised in other Countries, with some new Regulations</i>. The next, <i>concerning the</i> suppressing Infection here, <i>are very different from the Methods taken in former Times among</i> Us, <i>and from what they commonly Do</i> Abroad: <i>But, I persuade my self, will be found agreable to Reason</i>.</p> <p><i>I most heartily wish, that the wise Measures, the</i> Government <i>has already taken, and will continue to take, with Regard to the</i> former <i>of</i> these, <i>may make the</i> Rules <i>about the</i> latter <i>unnecessary: However it is fit, we should be always provided with proper</i> Means of Defence <i>against so terrible an</i> Enemy.</p> <p><i>May this short</i> Essay <i>be received as one Instance, among many others, of the Care, you always shew for Your Country; and as a</i> <i>Testimony of the great Esteem and Respect, with which I have the Honour to be,</i></p> <div class='nf-center-c1'> <div class='nf-center'> <div><span class='large'>SIR,</span></div> </div></div> <div class='nf-center-c1'> <div class='nf-center'> <div>Your most obedient,</div> <div>Most humble Servant,</div> </div></div> <p><span class='small'>Novemb. 25. 1720.</span></p> <div class='c004'><span class='large'><span class='sc'>R. Mead.</span></span></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />