JOHANNIS FREIND AD CELEBERRIMUM VIRUM RICARDUM MEAD, M.D. DE QUIBUSDAM VARIOLARUM GENERIBUS EPISTOLA. [The 1723 first edition of Dr. John Freind's An Epistle to Dr. Richard Mead, Concerning SMALL-POX together with a 1727 edition of this same work]

Londini: Impensis J. Bowyer, ad Insignae Rosae juxta Porticum Occidentalem Ecclesiae Divi Pauli, 1723., 1723.. Fair. - Quarto, 8-7/8 inches high by 6-7/8 inches wide. Printed self-wraps. Partially disbound with the cover page detached and a few signatures loose. [2] & 18 pages, with a title decoration and formal decorated tail-piece. The work is additionally dated March 30, 1723 in Latin at the end of the work. Once folded in half with a horizontal crease through the book, the title cover page is soiled with dampstaining to the bottom edge. There is some light chipping or damage to the front edge of the last few leaves with heavier damage and loss to the front edge of the last leaf, not affecting the text. <p>The 1723 first edition of Dr. John Freind's "An Epistle to Dr. Richard Mead. Concerning some particular kinds of small-pox". This is the quarto issue. An octavo issue was also published in the same year.<p>The ESTC locates only 13 copies of this first edition in the British Isles and 7 copies in North America.<p>TOGETHER WITH:<p>JOHANNIS FREIND AD CELEBERRIMUM VIRUM RECARDUM MEAD, M.D. de Quibusdam Variolarum generibus Epistola / ORATIO ANNIVERSARIA IN THEATRO COLLEGII REGALIS MEDICORUM LONDIN. Habita, Ex Harvaei instituto, in eorum commemorationem qui sua in hoc collegium beneficentia claruerunt. Die xviii Octobris, Anno 1720. Londini: Impendis J. Bowyer, ad Insignae Rosae in Vico dicto Pater-Noster-Row, 1727. Octavo, 7-1/2 inches high by 4-3/4 inches wide. Softcover, bound in later plain green paper wrappers. Overall title leaf followed by pages [1]-24; [2] leaves, pages [4]-7, and 9-24, with page 8 skipped in numbering. In addition to the overall title page, each of these 2 works is preceded by its own title page. This volume is decorated with the publisher's woodcut rose device illustrating each of the 2 separate title pages, as well as woodcut head and tail pieces and initials. There is some foxing to the edges of the book and a few page corners are lightly creased. Very good.<p>This is the 1727 edition of the work listed above, published as issued with Freind's October 18, 1720 commemorative speech describing elements of medical history.<p>This is a rare edition. ESTC locates only 2 copies in the British Isles and 1 copy in North America.<p>"Enjoying, Sir, unexpectedly, abundance of Leisure, and my Mind being, even in this Confinement, not over solicitous, I thought I could not better employ my vacant Hours, than in cultivating my former Studies, and adding a few Observations to what I have already writ concerning acute Diseases. And indeed I the more willingly undertake it, since I learn from that elegant Book concerning the Small-Pox, which Helvetius has lately presented us with, that that learned Author has either trod in our Steps in his Method of Cure, or at least set out in the same road as us...." - [Quoted from the digitized English translation of Freind's book].<p>The renowned Newtonian physician Dr. John Freind (1675-1728) learned Newtonian medicine and medical practice from his Jacobite teachers while studying at Christ Church, Oxford. The Jacobites had a deep affinity to the simplicity of Newton's mathematical theory and shared many similar beliefs about human society. The Jacobites were also highly political and supported the deposed King James II and Freind published 2 works that reflected his political beliefs. His affiliation with the Jacobites lead to his arrest and incarceration in the Tower of London. His close friend Dr. Richard Mead frequently visited him during his imprisonment and brought him a new edition of Daniel LeClerc's "Histoire de la Medicine". Freind was enraged with LeClerc's approach to the history of medicine and how LeClerc, an adherent of Paracelsus' approach, left huge gaps in his history by totally disregarding any progress made during the Dark Ages. In response, Freind devoted his remaining time in the Tower to writing his own history of medicine.