Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A genus of Gram-negative aerobic nonmotile parasitic rod-like bacteria frequently found in the respiratory tract. They can grow only in the presence of certain factors in the blood and/or certain coenzymes: they are cultured on fresh blood agar. Most species are pathogenic: H. aegyptius causes conjunctivitis, and H. ducreyi soft sore (chancroid). H. influenzae is…

An instrument for determining the concentration of hemoglobin in a sample of blood, which is a measure of its oxygen-carrying power. A device for determining the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.  

A type of cell, found in the bone marrow, that was thought by early microscopists to be the ultimate precursor from which all blood cells were derived. An undifferentiated stem cell found in mesenchymal tissues that may give rise to any type of blood cell.  

The plant Conium maculatum, native to Britain and central Europe. It is a source of the poisonous alkaloid coniine. A toxic plant from the parsley family. Its poison is extremely lethal, and there have been cases of children being poisoned by using the plant’s hollow stems as musical pipes or pea shooters. In ancient Greece,…

Fusion of the fifth lumbar vertebra to one side only of the sacrum. The abnormal development of one half of the fifth lumbar vertebra so that it is fused with the sacrum.  

A chemical derivative of hemoglobin formed by removal of the protein part of the molecule, oxidation of the iron atom, and combination with an acid to form a salt (compare hematin). Chlorohemin forms characteristic crystals, the identification of which provides the basis of a chemical test for blood stains. A brownish-red crystalline salt of heme…

A colorless crystalline compound extracted from logwood (Haematoxylon campechianum) and used in various histological stains. When oxidized, hematoxylin is converted to hematein, which imparts a blue color to certain parts of cells, especially cell nuclei. Heidenhain’s iron hematoxylin is used to stain sections that are to be photographed, since it gives great clarity’ at high…

The accumulation of menstrual blood in the vagina because the hymen at the entrance to the vagina lacks an opening. Retention of menstrual blood in the vagina, caused by an imperforate hymen.  

A mixture of potassium bichromate, sodium sulfate, mercuric chloride, formaldehyde, and distilled water, used in the preservation of bone marrow.  

A test for the presence of protein (albumin) in the urine. A quantity of urine is carefully poured onto the same quantity of pure nitric acid in a test tube. A white ring forms at the junction of the liquids if albumin is present. However, a similar result may be obtained if the urine contains…