_CREMNITS_ in _Hungary_ (a small 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 sometimes are troubled with pernicious Damps, and many are kill’d by them; and so it happens in the Mines at _Schemnits_, the fairest of the seven Mine-Towns[41]. Footnote 41: _Atl. Geograph._ p. 1640, —1, —2, —3. Among the Minerals known to us, there are many more noxious than wholesome and the Power of the former to do mischief, is more efficacious than the Power of the latter to do good; which is evident from the little Benefit the Miner’s Health receives from any mineral Effluvia, compar’d with the great and sudden Damps, that are often caused by the Expirations of _Orpiment_, _Sandarac_, and _white Arsenic_, which is a deadly Poison, and most fatal of the whole Tribe of Fossils. Hence the Refiners dread nothing so much as _Arsenic_ in their Metals; for its Fumes taken into the Lungs kill instantly, and the oftner ’tis sublim’d, the ranker it grows[42]. Footnote 42: _Boerhaave’s Theory of Chemistry._ _MERCURY_ is extremely volatile, being convertible into Fumes, even by a Sand-heat. Those who practise the Art of Gilding, are but too well acquainted with these mercurial Fumes, which frequently render them epileptic and paralytic, and sometimes throw them into a Salivation. This kind of Poison is found in _Friuli_, a Province in _Italy_, belonging to the Emperor, and also in _Spain_, _Hungary_, _&c._ The miserable People condemn’d, or hired to work in these Mines, all die in a little time: they are so affected with those venemous Fumes, that from Tremors they proceed to salivate, then their Teeth drop.—One of them who had been there six Years, was so full of _Mercury_, that holding a Piece of _Gold_ in his Mouth a little while, it became of a _Silver Colour_, and when taken out, it was found heavier than before, _ibid._ p. 74. _COPPER_ is another poisonous Mineral, difficult of Fusion, and when fused, if a single Drop of Water do but fall upon it; or any Vessel it be cast in, be ever so little moist, it flies into innumerable Fragments, with incredible Noise, and destroys all the Persons near it. _Ibid._ _TIN_, the lightest of all Metals, when urged by an easy Fire, it shines exceedingly; but this Splendor is succeeded by a sulphurous Steam, very destructive to the Lungs, and throws the Body into a Consumption. _ibid._ At _Mendip_ in _Somersetshire_, those who are employ’d in melting _Lead-ore_, if they work in the Smoke, are subject to killing Diseases. There is a Flight (or Steam) in the Smoke, which falling on the Grass, poisons the Cattle that eat it. Those who live very near where Lead-ore is wash’d, can’t keep either Dog or Cat, or any sort of Fowl, but they all die in a short time[43]. Footnote 43: _Lowthorp_’s _Abr._ vol. ii. p. 576.