Bones, Bodies, and Disease: Evidence of Disease and Abnormality in Early Man

Abstract

In any group of people, the pattern of disease and injury mirrors their environment and culture. With this tenet in mind, Dr. Wells describes the hybrid discipline of paleopathology, presenting his fascinating investigations and the methods used therein. A paleopathologist bases his findings on two kinds of evidence: primary material, consisting of actual remains of a body, and secondary sources, such as descriptions or artifacts depicting disease. Making suitable inferences from a bone or mummified remains can be exciting, although the incomplete evidence available to paleopathologists may be misleading. The author well expresses the delicate balance between informed intuition and an overenthusiastic guess. With thoroughness Dr. Wells discusses ancient illnesses, including injuries, infections, growths, congenital abnormalities, and metabolic and deficiency diseases. Related topics discussed are the practices of trephination, cannibalism, and artificial interference with the body in mutilation or binding of the head. An appendix of photographs and drawings illustrates

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