have at some Time or other, by an industrious Application, been successfull where Art could not warrant a Cure. As to the _Disease_ I propose to make the chief Subject of this Letter, tho’ it be generally branded with the Character of Incurable, I must freely own I never could discover any thing essential to it in general that should make it so; it is true, there are many _Diseases_ that are not to be cured, where certain Circumstances are conjoined, which very much contribute to the Misfortune; tho’ Others of the same _Class_ exempt from those Adherents may, perhaps, be happily enough cured; Thus for Instance. In _Cancers_ we have but little Reason to expect a Cure in a Person that is old, if the _Cancer_ has been of many Years standing, and is firmly fixed to the Ribs; but if the Patient be not so far advanced in Years as to be uncapable of receiving the Benefit of Nature by the regular Discharge of the _Menses_ and the _Cancer_ be loose; notwithstanding, it be Ulcerated, over-spread with fungous Flesh, discharge a filthy Matter, and smell very offensively; we do upon Experience affirm that such a Patient may be cured. We must own we cannot be of the Opinion of the _Paracelsians_, who affirm there is no _Disease_ but what is curable in any Patient, for the Reason we have given; nor can we with the _Galenists_, agree that the _Gout_, _Dead-palsie_, _Stone_, _Cancer_, &c. are _Diseases_ absolutely incurable; because Experience discovers the contrary. We find that Mr _Boyle_ is of the same Opinion, and thinks it were no ill Piece of Service to Mankind, if a severe Collection were made of the Cures of such Persons as have been judged irrecoverable by the _Doctors_; that Men might no longer excuse their own Ignorance by the Impotency of Nature, and bare the World in Hand, as if the Art of _Physick_ and their Skill, were of the same Extent. There seems to be one very effectual Way to rescue the medicinal Art from the Aspersions of some bold Persons; and that is that of a certain Number of regular Practitioners in _Physick_ and _Surgery_, each of them should apply himself to the Study of one particular _Disease_: By this means we should soon find they would be capable of surmounting those Difficulties that have all along baffled the most Judicious of the general Practicers. How odd, and disagreeable this Opinion may seem to some Men I know not; but I assure you, _Sir_, I find it of a very ancient Date; for _Herodotus_, a _Greek Historian_ informs us, that before his Time, the _Physicians_ in _Egypt_ used to apply themselves to the Study and Advancement of one _Disease_ in particular. _Baricellus_, and _Lionardo di Capoa_, observe the same likewise, in Relation to the Practice of _Physick_ in that Country. _Baglivi_, in the Scheme he lays down for erecting of Colleges for the Improvement of _Physick_, tells us, that every Fellow of his Literate Society must have one _Disease_ allotted him for the Task of his whole Life;