friends, to drop at that time; whereby this letter lay by till
the latter's publication of _the first and third books of
Hippocrates's epidemics_, illustrated with _nine commentaries
concerning fevers_. Of these the _seventh_ treats of _purging in the
putrid fever, which follows upon the confluent small pox_: to which
are annexed, in support of this opinion, letters from four physicians
on that subject, and among them that from our author, which he had
translated from the english into latin, enlarged and new modelled to
serve this purpose.

This work gave rise to a controversy, maintained with an unbecoming
warmth on both sides: among Dr. _Friend_'s principal opponents, may be
reckoned Dr. _Woodward_; who, not contented with condemning a
practice, experience has since evinced not only salutary in general,
but in many cases absolutely necessary; likewise treated its favourers
with contempt and ill-manners, and more particularly our author;[21]
whose resentment upon this occasion, appears to have been carried to a
justly exceptionable length, seeing it had not subsided twenty years
after the death of his antagonist.[22]

[21] The state of physic, by _John Woodward_, M.D. printed in
1718.

[22] "In the front of this band stood forth Dr. _John
Woodward_, physic professor at _Gresham College_, a man
equally ill-bred, vain, and ill-natured; who, after being for
some time apprentice to a linnen-draper, took it into his
head to make a collection of shells and fossils, in order to
pass upon the world for a philosopher; thence getting
admission into a physician's family, at length, by dint of
interest, obtained a doctor's degree." Preface to the
discourse on the small pox, &c. p. 8, &c.

Dr. _Mead_'s daily acquisition of knowledge and experience, enabled
him to enlarge to many beneficial purposes, this performance, which,
in all probability, was at first designed only to illustrate and
vindicate the sentiments contained in the aforementioned letter; and
it is but justice to say, the applause it has found among the learned,
as well for the elegance of its diction, as the perspicuity of its
precepts, is no more than what is truely due to it.----To this
discourse is subjoin'd a latin translation, from the arabic of
_Rhazes_'s treatise on the _small pox_ and _measles_, a copy of the
original having been obtained for this purpose by Dr. _Mead_, from the
celebrated _Boerhaave_, between