A Brief Treatise of the Nature, Causes, Signes, Preservation From, and Cure of The Pestilence - 1665: Printed for, and are to be sold by D. Kemp, at his Shop at the Salutation near Hatton-Garden in Holborn.

The World is currently recovering from an active pandemic that had the world's political and medical leaders searching for solutions. The concerns of detecting, treating and curing the victims of this pandemic bring to mind the similar concerns that faced populations in earlier times when unexpected plagues, or pestilences, that decimated the population fell upon them. In 1665-1666, for example, the Great Plague of London (which killed an estimated 100,000 people – almost a quarter of London's population – in 18 months) attacked England. W. Kemp, a medical practitioner at the time, decided he could best help the City of London fight this plague by publishing his recommendations inA Brief Treatise of the Nature, Causes, Signes, Preservation From, and Cure of The Pestilence.

This First Edition copy of A Brief Treatise of the Nature, Causes, Signes, Preservation From, and Cure of The Pestilence, Collected by W. Kemp, Mr. of Arts, MDCLXV was Printed for, and are to be sold by D. Kemp, at his Shop at the Salutation near Hatton-Garden in Holborn. The book, which measures approximately 5 ¾ x 7 inches, contains 96 pages and is in a paper string binding. The last page (back cover) is detached. The pages are tanned, more deeply near the edges, with signs of wear along the edges. The text, regardless of the tanning, is easily read. The overall condition of the book, considering its age, is very good. (The book is not an EEBO Edition)

The booklet gives symptoms of the plague, suggested prophylactics (including an enthusiastic recommendation of tobacco smoking), and recipes for suitable medicines. At the end he notes that these medicines can be home-made, or bought ready-made.

The illustrations accompanying this description show the Front Cover, the first page of the dedication to King Charles the Second, two typical 2-page spreads of text, and a 2-page spread showing the last page of text and the first page of the two page "To the Reader", which is dated Holborn, July 22, 1665.