Salini - more than a pinch of salt

Prior to the recent clean-up of the Salini Canal (known as the sukkursu) you would know you were approaching the area well in advance, from the stench which greeted you, a stench reminiscent of rotten eggs or “ stink bombs”. The smell was due to H2S – Hydrogen Sulphide – a poisonous gas produced by bacteria found in water, in conditions when the water was so stagnant that little or no oxygen was present.

These bacteria use Sulphur instead of Oxygen for their metabolism – and the end product is hydrogen sulphide. In low concentrations the H2S gas numbs the olfactory nerves slowly and after a short while your nose is unable to detect the smell any more. In high concentration the H2S gas numbs the olfactory sense quickly – this can lead to coma and death – as happened a few years ago to some men working in sewers in Cirkewwa, when a sudden gush of H2S overcame them with tragic results.

In these circumstances H2S detectors are essential – workmen should not rely on their sense of smell. The water in the sukkursu canal is re-circulating once again, now that thousands of tons of material were removed in a massive clear up operation. The resources ministry has announced that the scheduled saltpans, the huts as well as the Ximenes redoubt at Salini will also be restored, and that controlled access will be allowed to the public, so we can enjoy the area. An interpretation centre is also planned. Sounds good.

Here’s another idea – let’s establish a Salt Museum Salini played an important role in salt production in Malta and the area would be an ideal site for a Salt Museum . Salt museums are found in many countries. They are informative and are an attraction for the general public as well as for tourists. The relationship between man and salt goes a long way – here are some ideas for the new salt museum at Salini.

Salt, sodium chloride, is a mineral which is essential for our well being – Romans equated salt with health, hence “salus”: “salutary”. Soldiers marching long distances in the heat were partially paid with salt – loss of salt in sweat causes cramps and needs to be replaced -- hence the term salary. On the other hand excess salt may cause ill health – it can be a cause of high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a common medical problem in the modern world It is the commonest medical problem in Malta: 22% of the Maltese population suffer from hypertension and 30-50% of the population is “salt sensitive” and need to restrict their salt intake.

• Restriction of salt in “salt sensitive “ individuals lowers their blood pressure • Diabetics and elderly people have an increased tendency of being salt sensitive - so they should restrict their salt intake • Excess salt increases platelets' ’ stickiness therefore it may increase the risk of developing blood clots. • In patients who are salt sensitive, excess salt increases the secretion of "Oubain", an adrenal hormone, which raises blood pressure • 80% of our salt intake nowadays comes from preserved foods - so look at the label on the packet • Best salt for consumption is natural sea salt which also contains other essential minerals such as magnesium.

History of salt
Man initially used salt to preserve meat and fish • Salt was also used for embalming Egyptian 'mummies' • Some 500 years ago salted cod – Bacalhau – was popularized by Portuguese fisherman who caught cod in the north seas and salted it --- so it could be transported back to the Mediterranean – to this day Bacalhau remains a popular dish. Religion • Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt • The Salt Covenant with Yahweh – salt must be added to all sacrifices • Covenant of Salt in Jewish weddings where the new husband and wife each make a contribution of salt and mix them together to denote their union in marriage • Shinto religion uses salt to purify an area – this is the reason why Sumo wrestlers (Shinto rite) throw a handful of salt into the centre of the ring – driving off bad spirits. • Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ sees Judas spilling a bowl of salt – a foreboding of evil Early Medical • Cleaning of wounds with salt water • Rubbing salt into the wound… Superstition Throwing salt over the left shoulder to ward off bad luck.

Roman: “Salary” derived from salt in Latin because part of a soldiers wages were paid in salt • Expression “not worth his salt” i.e. not worth his wages • Via Salaria – the salt road stretching from Rome to the Adriatic • Romans salted the earth of their enemies to make it infertile – did the Romans take salt from Malta in the Punic wars to salt the cities of Carthage?

Recent History: • Salt played a part in the French Revolution – • the French rebelled against taxes especially the salt tax “Gabelle” • Gandhi ’s Civil Disobedience act started the 200 mile salt march to Dandi to defy the Salt Act imposed by the British • Even now giving a gift made of salt in India is regarded as inviting good luck • The Dalai Lama in 1993 was buried in a bed of salt! •And of course the City of the Sound of Music – Salzburg – is the City of Salt.

And “Melha” in Maltese – literally a salt granule, a word originating from the Aramaic, it is used as an expression referring to someone who is rather meddlesome, denoting that he inserts himself everywhere, much like salt. So there’s more than a pinch of salt. Frank Portelli