To George Washington from James Mease, 8 May 1794
From James Mease
Philadelphia May 8th 1794
Sir
I take the liberty of presenting you with a copy of the London edition of my essay, on the disease produced by the bite of a maddog, which I have lately received.1
I have to apologise for neglecting to offer it to you in its original form of an inaugural dissertation; but a sense of its imperfections, not forgetfullness was the cause of the delay; & had it not been for the present additions, it might probably have still been concealed from you.2 Be pleased however to accept it such as it is;3 and that you may long remain the first man among a free people, is the Sincere wish & prayer of Sir, your most obedient & Very humble Servant
James Mease
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Mease’s An essay on the disease produced by the bite of a mad dog, or other rabid animal (London 1793) was in GW’s library at the time of his death (Griffin, Catalogue of the Washington Collection, 550).
2. Mease was referring to An inaugural dissertation on the disease produced by the bite of a mad dog, or other rabid animal: submitted to the examination of the Rev. John Ewing, S.T.P. provost; the trustees and medical faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, on the eleventh day of May, 1792, for the degree of Doctor of Medicine (Philadelphia, 1792).
3. Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr., replied for GW in a letter to Mease of 29 May: "The President of the U. States has recd your Letter together with a copy of your essay on the disease produced by the bite of a mad-dog. The President has directed me to assure you that his sincere wishes are offered for the useful effects of a work calculated to throw light on a subject so interesting; & to make his acknowledgements for your politeness in presenting it to him" (DLC:GW).