My good friend Dr Volker Schneider sent me this curious heart (herz in Deutsch) of endocervical cells! We can figure how much he loves cytology: the cells sent an e-card for him in the shape of a heart...
Volker's herz reminded me the shape of the leaves of one of the trees from which hematoxylin ( or its close relative brazilin ) is made: the Mexican ...palo de brasil. This, in turn, reminded me that Brazil owes its name to the extensive logging and shipping of Brazilwood, another source of purple dyes. And, that Portugal was one of the richest nations in the XVI and XVII centuries, due to this commodity... Nowadays, my musician friends tell me that "Pau Brasil" Caesalpinia echinata, Lam. is used for making violin bows all over the world!
One last curiosity: Lamarck gave to it the name Caesalpinia in honor of the Italian Renaissance Physician to Pope Clement VIII and botanist Andrea Caesalpino (1519-1603), one of the teachers of W. Harvey (1578-1657), at the University of Padua, the discoverer of the central role of the heart (herz...) in the circulation of blood. To see another Schneider's heart click here... |
