In 1723, Dr. _Mead_ was appointed to speak the anniversary Harveian oration, before the members of the college of physicians, when, ever studious of the honour of his profession, he applied himself to wipe off the obloquy, thought to be reflected upon it, by those who maintained the _practice_ of _physic_ at _Rome_, to have been confined to _slaves_ or _freed-men_, and not deemed worthy the attention of an _old Roman_: which oration was made publick in 1724, and to it was annexed, _a dissertation upon some coins, struck by the_ Smyrnæans, _in honour of physicians_.[13]
[13] Dissertatio de nummis quibusdam, a _Smyrnæis_, in medicorum honorem, percussis.
This publication was smartly attacked by Dr. _Conyers Middleton_ in 1726,[14] who was replied to by several, and particularly, as it is said, by Dr. _John Ward_, professor of _rhetoric_ in _Gresham College_. This gentleman was supposed by his opponent, to have been employed by Dr. _Mead_, who did not chuse to enter personally, into this little-important debate; upon which presumption, Dr. _Middleton_ published a defence of his former dissertation in the succeeding year;[15] wherein he treats his respondents with no little contempt.[16] The merits of this dispute are not intended to be here discussed, but it may not be amiss to observe, that however displeased Dr. _Middleton_ may have been with his antagonists; in a work published several years after, he speaks of our author in the most respectful manner. In treating of an antique picture, he says, he believes it to be the first, and only one of the sort ever brought to _England_, "_donec_ Meadius _noster, artis medicæ decus, qui vita revera nobilis, vel principibus in republica viris, exemplum præbet, pro eo, quo omnibus fere præstat artium veterum amore, alias postea quasdam, & splendidiores, opinor, Roma quoque deportandas curavit_."[17]
[14] In a piece entitled, _De medicorum apud veteres_ Romanos _degentium conditione dissertatio; contra viros celeberrimos_ Jac. Sponium & Rich. Meadium, M.D.D. _Servilem atque ignobilem eam fuisse ostenditur_, published in the fourth volume of his works, p. 179.
[15] Dissertationis, &c. contra _anonymos_ quosdam _notarum brevium, responsionis_ atque _animadversionis_ auctores, desensio, ibid. p. 207.