'Red - the magic color for solar salt production' - but since when?

Dense communities of carotenoid-rich members of the Halobacteria (Euryarchaeota), the bacterium Salinibacter (Bacteroidetes) and the eukaryotic alga Dunaliella color the brines of most saltern crystallizer ponds red. The first report we found from the western world mentioning these red brines dates from 1765: the Encyclopédie of Diderot and coworkers. Earlier descriptions of solar salterns since Roman times do not mention red ponds. These include the Astronomica of Manilius, Pliny's Naturalis Historia (1st century), the description of Italian salterns in De Reditu Suo by Namatianus (5th century), Agricola's De Re Metallica (1556) and an anonymous description of French salterns (1669). This suggests that in earlier times, saltern brines may not have been red. In salterns which are operated today in the traditional way as practiced in the Middle Ages, no red brines are observed. Prokaryotic densities in the salterns of Secovlje (Slovenia) and Ston (Croatia) are an order of magnitude lower than in modern saltern crystallizers. This is probably due to the much shorter residence time of the brine in the traditionally operated salterns. In China, red saltern brines were documented earlier: in Li Shizhen's compendium of Materia Medica Ben Cao Kang Mu, completed in 1578 and based on older sources.

[Exploration of salt in Poland in the second half of the 18th century]. / Poszukiwania soli w polsce w drugiej polowie XVIII wieku.

Following the First Partition in 1772, Poland lost the salt mines in Wieliczka, Bochnia and in the territory of Ruthenia to Austria. This was a serious blow to the economy, because since then, it became necessary to import salt, which was primarily taken advantage of by the Royal Prussian Maritime Trading Company (Pruska Kompania Morska) importing it from Austria. King Stanislaw August Poniatowski tried to initiate the exploration and exploitation of salt in the areas where it could be profitable. To this end, he ordered the exploration to Filip Carosi and Stanislaw Okraszewski, among other. The salt-works of the Castellan of Leukow, Jacek Jezierski in the town of Solca, in the Lqczyckie Region, active since 1780, was a private investment. Leopold von Beust's Kompania akcyjna obtained salt from a brine near the town of Busko, and Kompania z Osob Krajowych--from a brine in the town of Raczki nad Pilica. In 1782, the King appointed The Ore Commission (Komisja Kruszcowa), consisted of twelve commissioners, in order to conduct the exploration for minerals, including salt, their extraction and further administration. The Crown Treasury Commission (Komisja Skarbu Koronnego), a magistracy dealing with, among others, the economy of the country in a broad sense, was also involved in the exploration and exploatation of salt. At its command, in the summer of 1788, Tadeusz Czacki made a tour of the Kielce region in search of traces of salt. In view of the important events of the Four-Year Sejm (Sejm Czteroletni) and the subsequent loss of independence, the subject of salt exploration had to be abandoned.

The evolution of breast implants.

Female glandular hypomastia is a frequently encountered entity that occurs either developmentally or by postpartum involution. Historically, women have long sought breast enlargement to improve physical proportions, to foster a more feminine appearance, or to enhance self-image. This article explores the evolution of breast implants.

[Historical roles of salt]. / Kulturgeschichte des Kochsalzes.

Recently increasing evidence has been provided pointing to a close relation of salt consumption to hypertension as well as to target organ damage. It is interesting to note that the discussion concerning salt is unusually emotional. This may be explained, at least in part, by the fact that since ancient times salt had deep symbolic significance, as exemplified, mostly subconsciously, by many customs and expressions still in current use. In the past salt was essential to preserve food. The past importance of salt as a commodity can well be compared with that of oil today. These and further historical aspects of the role of salt are briefly dealt with in this article.

[Healing and helping in Hallstatt--on the medical history of mining town in Salzkammergut]. / Heilen und Helfen in Hallstatt--zur Medizingeschichte des Bergknappenortes im Salzkammergut.

The medical care practiced at Hallstatt was specifically influenced by its salt mine, well known since prehistoric times, and by the isolated location of this place lying on a lake as well as in the mountains. Since the 16th century the Hallstatt saltworks had a hospital, with a special isolation ward since 1772. In addition to it, a small hospital for infectious diseases was opened at the beginning of the 20th century. The barber-surgeons, whose names have been known since the 17th century, and later on the university-graduated doctors had to do their work without any outside help and moreover, they had to supply their patients with necessary medicaments. In her own house, the last local midwife used to offer delivery and lying-in rooms for women. The mine rescue service (since 1945), the mountain rescue service (since 1923), the water rescue service (since 1960) and the Red Cross (since 1978) have been playing an important part preparing the work of the local doctors. Paleoparasitological examinations of human excrements found in collapsed prehistoric tunnels proved that the miners had suffered from whip worms and eel worms. Contrary to the badly preserved skeletons found in the prehistoric burying place on the Hallstatt Salzberg, the human remains in the Hallstatt charnel house made anthropological examination possible.

Milestones in nephrology: Presence of luminal K+, a prerequisite for active NaCl transport in the cortical thick ascending limb of Henle's loop of rabbit kidney.

Originally published in Pflügers Arch. 392:92-94, 1981. Reprinted with author commentary by Dr. Schlatter.

Salt: a sacred substance.

Salt is the last relic of the ocean where life was born. Its presence has influenced the whole gamut of history and its name is linked to hundred of geographical locations. Its importance for nutrition is supported by the discovery of Aeneolithic salt cellars. Salt cellars and pyramids of salt have been included in paintings and other works of art. In Japan where salt was and still is obtained from the sea, a salt culture has developed that can be traced in the rituals of everyday life, including meal preparation, sports, and Shinto ceremonies.

A contribution to the history of common salt.

Salt has influenced human nutrition, health, politics, taxation, economy, freight, transport, and commerce throughout the ages. All human activities have been influenced by salt including economy, religious beliefs and practices, art, literature, psychoanalysis, superstitions, and exorcism. Salt is recognized as a symbol for friendship, hospitality, chastity, alliance, table fellowship, fidelity, fertility, blessing, curse and endurance, etc. The Bible is the first book of salt and contains no fewer than 24 references to this substance. In the Gospels the parable of salt is a central one. Many many church fathers have written on salt a substance, which up to 1969 was a relevant element in the rite of Baptism. This paper reviews the importance of common salt for human life, and by drawing from various scientific and literary sources makes a special discussion of its various symbolisms.

The symbolism of salt in paintings.

Many artists have used the symbol of salt in both religious and profane works, yet very few studies have explored the symbolism of salt as used in works of art. In this study, Panofsky's method has been adopted to evaluate works of art through an organic process articulated into three stages: (1) pre-iconographic, (2) iconographic and (3) iconological. The method was used for (a) religious paintings of the Old and New Testaments and (b) mythological and profane themes. Various salt-cellars were also studied. In particular, the paper examines the following themes: Isaac blessing Jacob, the return of Esau, Samuel consecrating David, the Last Supper, the suppers at Emmaus and at the house of Simon, the birth of St. John the Baptist, the Baptism of Constantine, the prodigal son, Bacchus-Apollo, the nuptial banquet of Love and Psyche, the death of the Cavalier of Celano, the king drinks, the landlord's visit, 'Phitopolis faisant servir des mets en or au roi Pithès', certain still life paintings and various salt-cellars including those of Cellini and Giulio Romano. The paper discusses the works of many artists including Raphael, Leonardo and his school (Boltraffio, Giampietrino, d'Oggiono, Solario), Hendricksz, Corenzio, Jean-Baptiste and Philippe de Champaigne, Damaskinos, Tintoretto, Titian, Romanino, Rubens, Bellini, Bloemaert, Veronese, Sustris, Just of Ghent, Jan Van Hemessen, Poussin, Loir, Giotto, Jordaens, Brueghel and Mimmo Paladino with his enchanted mountain. From the data examined it emerged that salt is a primary iconological presence in various works of art.

A history of salt.

The medical history of salt begins in ancient times and is closely related to different aspects of human history. Salt may be extracted from sea water, mineral deposits, surface encrustations, saline lakes and brine springs. In many inland areas, wood was used as a fuel source for evaporation of brine and this practice led to major deafforestation in central Europe. Salt played a central role in the economies of many regions, and is often reflected in place names. Salt was also used as a basis for population censuses and taxation, and salt monopolies were practised in many states. Salt was sometimes implicated in the outbreak of conflict, e.g. the French Revolution and the Indian War of Independence. Salt has also been invested with many cultural and religious meanings, from the ancient Egyptians to the Middle Ages. Man's innate appetite for salt may be related to his evolution from predominantly vegetarian anthropoids, and it is noteworthy that those people who live mainly on protein and milk or who drink salty water do not generally salt their food, whereas those who live mainly on vegetables, rice and cereals use much more salt. Medicinal use tended to emphasize the positive aspects of salt, e.g. prevention of putrefaction, reduction of tissue swelling, treatment of diarrhea. Evidence was also available to ancient peoples of its relationship to fertility, particularly in domestic animals. The history of salt thus represents a unique example for studying the impact of a widely used dietary substance on different important aspects of man's life, including medical philosophy.