24 A NATURAL HISTORY 



halations, they fomtimes clear their way by Fire and the Bellows, 

 but generally by long Tubes or Pipes, reaching from top to bot- 

 tom, thro' which they let the Air in and out ; and by this Cir- 

 culation of the Air, they carry on their Work for fome time 

 without Danger. 



CREMN ITS in Hungary (a fmall Town, reckon'd the 

 chief of the Berg, or Mine-Towns) is famous for its Gold-Mine 

 which has been work'd on 900 Years, where the Workmen fome- 

 times are troubled with pernicious Damps, and many are kill'd 

 by them j and fo it happens in the Mines at Schemnits, the faireft 

 of the feven Mine-Towns*. 



Among the Minerals known to us, there are many more 

 noxious than wholcfome^ and the Power of the former to do mii^ 

 chief, is more efficacious than the Power of the latter to do good; 

 which is evident from the little Benefit the Miner's Health re- 

 ceives from any mineral Effluvia, compar'd with the great and 

 fudden Damps, that are often caufed by the Expirations of Or- 

 pimentj Sandarac^ and white Arfenic^ which is a deadly Poifon, 

 and moft fatal of the whole Tribe of Fofiils. Hence the Refiners 

 dread nothing fo much as Arfenic in their Me:als ; for its Fumes 

 taken into the Lungs kill inflantly, and the oftner 'tis fubiim'd, 

 the ranker it grows -f-. 



ME RCU RT is extremely volatile, being convertible into 

 Fumes, even by a Sand-heat. Thofe who pradife the Art of 

 Guilding, are but too well acquainted with thele mercurial Fumes, 

 which frequently render them epikp-ic and paralytic, and fome- 

 times throw them into a SaHvation. This kind of Poifon is found 

 in Friuliy a Province in Italy j belonging to the Emperor, and alfo 

 in Spain ^ Hungary ^ &c. 



The miferable People condemn'd, or hired to work in thefe 

 Mines, all die in a little .time: thsy arc fo affcded with thofe ve- 

 nemous Fumes, that from Tremors they proceed to lalivate, then 

 their Teeth drop. — One of them who had been there fix Years, 

 was fo full of Mercury J that holding a Piece of Gold in his Moutii 

 a little while, it became of a Silver Colour ^ and when taken out, it 

 .was found heavier than before, ibid. p. 74 



COPPER is anotlier poiibnous Mineral, difficuJtof Fufion, and 

 when fufed, if a fingle Drop of Water do but fldi upon it ; or any 



Veffel 



* Ad. Gergraoh.p. i6.\.o,-~j., — 2>~3. t Boerhaave't Theory of Chemi(lry. 



