The Natural Bijiory Part IV": 



efpecially of Sulphur, Nitre, and the 

 like fubtile and eafily moveable Mine- 

 rals : and as the Heat is tkre more or 

 left intenie.' That this mineral Matter 

 being fuftained in the Air there, and 

 floating about in the Mines, and PitSj^ 

 it hits upon, and affixes it felf unto, 

 the Workmens Tools, to their Cloaths, 

 Candles, or any other Bodies that oc- 

 curr. That where there is any confi* 

 derable quantity of Sulphur in the Ex- 

 halation thus floating too and again, it 

 takes fire at the Candles, burns with a 

 blue Flame, and emits a flrong fui- 

 phureous Smell. That thefe Damps 

 -differ in their EffeQs according to the 

 different Minerals that are the Caule of 

 them 5 ours in England being gene- 

 rally reducible to two kinds ; whereof 

 one is called the Suffocntingy the other 

 the Falmhutrng Damp. That the for- 

 mer of theie extinguiflieth the Can- 

 dies, makes the Workmen faint, and 

 vertiginous, and, when very great, 

 fuffocates, and kills them* The Ful- 

 minating Damp will take fire at a Can- 

 dle, or other Flame, and, upon its 

 Accenfion, gives a Crack or Report 

 like the Diicharge of^ Gun, and makes 

 Hkewife an Explofion lb forcible as^ 

 . ^ fome« 



