The book "A Short Essay on Plague Contagion and the Methods to be Used to Prevent It" was written by Richard Mead, a famous English physician and epidemiologist of the 18th century. In his work, he investigated the spread of plague and other diseases through contact, identifying methods and means to prevent them. The author highlighted the views of contemporary scientists on the mechanisms of infection transmission and developed recommendations for avoiding epidemics. His work became an important contribution to the development of medical science and the fight against harmful diseases.