An Observation and Experiment Concerning a Mineral Balsom, Found in a Mine of Italy by Signior Marc-Antonio Castagna; Inserted in the 7th. Giornale Veneto de Letterati of June 22. 1671, and Thence English'd as Follows

An Observation and Experiment concerning a Mineral Balsom, found in a Mine of Italy by Signior Marc-Antonio Castagna; inserted in the 7th. Giornale Veneto de Letterati of June 22. 1671, and thence English'd as follows; In the Territory of Bergamo, Signior M. Ant. Castagna upon the confines of his Jurisdiction, lighted accidently upon a not ordinary sweet Balsamick Scent, and following the same so as to find the Spirits thereof to strike his nose more and more strongly, he first caused that Rocky Hill, where he then was, to be digged in the place that appear'd to him most likely to be the Seat of it, and found, that the Stones thereof harbour'd that fragrancy he smelt, which was so strong, and by trials found so friendly to the Uterus, that being applyed they did in a very short time cure it of any evil, 'tis subject to. Encouraged hereby to prosecute this work, he made his Workmen digg into the very bowels of the Hill, and after much labour and charge discover'd holes in some stones, as if excavated by art, of a greenish colour, in which he found, as distilled by nature and kept in vessels, that liquor and balsom, which proved the source of that scent, which was limpid and of a white colour, like the white of an egg, but somewhat oleaginous, floating upon all sorts of liquors like oyl. Besides, he met in the same Cavities some small grains concreted of the said liquor, resembling that which they call white Amber; which, being Chymically distilled, had the same odour with the Balsom. This raiseth the curiosity of many, to know what rich Ore may be lodged amongst or under those stones.