that appear in the latter editions of
those works, which have already been taken notice of. It was not till
now that our author could find leisure to perfect his _discourse on
the small pox and measles_,[19] which had been begun by him many years
before.

[19] _De variolis & morbillis 1747._

As it was the principal design of these _memoirs_, to lay before the
public a concise and comprehensive history of Dr. _Mead_'s writings,
the occasion of this universally admired performance, cannot be better
given than from the author's own account, contained in the preface to
it, in which also his connections with, and attachment to Dr.
_Friend_, are further illustrated.

It appears that Dr. _Mead_, from having observed in the year 1708,
that some of his patients in St. _Thomas's Hospital_, recovered from a
very malignant sort of the small pox, even beyond expectation, by a
looseness seizing them on the ninth or tenth day of the disease, and
sometimes earlier, first took the hint to try what might be done by
opening the body with a gentle purge, on the decline of the distemper;
finding the success of this experiment in a great measure answerable
to his wishes, he communicated this method of practice to Dr.
_Friend_, and met with his approbation.

The latter being, soon after, called to a consultation with two other
eminent physicians, on the case of a young nobleman who lay
dangerously ill of the small pox, proposed our author's method; this
was opposed till the fourteenth day from the eruption, when the case
appearing desperate, they consented to give him a gentle laxative
draught; which had a very good effect: Dr. _Friend_ was of opinion to
repeat it, but was over-ruled, and the patient died the seventh day
after.[20]

[20] Friendi opera, p. 263.

From the result of this case, the gentlemen of the faculty were
greatly divided in opinion, as to the rectitude of this practice,
insomuch that Dr. _Friend_ thought himself under a necessity of
vindicating it; and therefore sent to our author for the purport of
their former conversation upon this topic, desiring it might be
reduced into writing. Such was the friendship that mutually subsisted
between these learned men, that this request was granted without
hesitation, and Dr. _Mead_'s letter was shewn to Dr. _Radcliffe_, who
prevailed upon our author to consent, that the same might be annexed
to Dr. _Friend_'s intended _defence_; which, however he was advised by
some