Nothing more fatal than mineral Poison, which often brings swift Destruction without remedy. To a large Dog, says the learned Dr. Mead, was given a Drachm of Mercury Sublimate, mixt with a little Bread, who after violent Evacuations, died next Morning. The same Gentleman observes, that in Arsenic is a very noxious quality: the factitious white is the most violent of all kinds, superior in force to Mercury sublimate.
These mortiferous Steams that flow from the Earth, are called Mephites, poisonous Damps; and are very common in Countries fruitful of Minerals and Mines: Damps happen in most of the Hungarian-Mines, not only in the direct Passages, where they walk on horizontally, but also in the perpendicular Descents. Now, to guard themselves against the fatal Effects of these Exhalations, they sometimes clear their way by Fire and the Bellows, but generally by long Tubes or Pipes, reaching from top to bottom, thro’ which they let the Air in and out; and by this Circulation of the Air, they carry on their Work for some time without Danger.
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]].
[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]].
[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.