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as the cancer, in the opinion even of the moft able 
oculifts, who have written upon this fubjed, fuch as 
Antoine Maitre Jean, St. Yves, and others. They 
have condantly declared it to be incurable in thefe 
parts, and have even forbad medling with it : An- 
toine Maitre Jean fays, ‘‘ The operation is fo doubt- 
“ ful, that it is rejeded by the bed: praditioners, not 
only for cancers of the lids, but alfo for all thofe 
of the face, &c.” And St. Yves is of the fame 
fentiment, where he fays, “ That when the edges 
“ of the ulcer are accompanied with callofities, there 
is nothing to be done but by palliatives.” 
The patients would have reafpn to complain, if 
we were willing to have regard to what thefe authors 
have advanced, as well as others, upon the fame 
fubjed, who were of the fame opinion. The mod 
able oculids have indeed met fo many difficulties in 
this cafe, that they entered into an opinion, that they 
were impoffible to be cured j and therefore never 
dared to undertake them. Some are content to 
treat them with palliatives, fuch as frog-fpawn-wa- 
ter, and other fuch ingredients, as ferve only to 
amufe the patient ; whild others, more bold, touch 
them with liquid caudics, or the lapis infernal is, 
from which they have had no better fuccefs than 
from the application of the water ; becaufe the bed 
managed caudics only ferve to irritate thefe kinds of 
tumors, as experience has too often diewed. But 
why therefore diould thefe parts be incurable } Is it 
that they differ from the other parts of the human 
body ? Certainly no. Why ffiould thefe therefore 
be thought more defperate than the breads, lips, and 
mai^y other parts, which often yield to the knife, 
B b 2 when 
