engleski

Health of the 18th century Vác population – preliminary anthropological analysis of specific pathological changes in the spine

During reconstruction of the Dominican Church of Vác, Hungary, 265 naturally mummified bodies were discovered in the church crypts. Based on the descriptions on the coffins and in the parish registers, the crypts served as the burial site for inhabitants between 1674 and 1838. The bodies were preserved through natural processes due to unique microclimate of the crypt, a temperature of 8-11 °C with almost constant relative humidity and weak, but regular, ventilation. In addition, almost all corpses were laid onto wood chips, which absorbed body fluids, and into pine coffins, preventing the spread of fungi and bacteria, thus facilitating natural mummification (Pap et al. 1997, 1999, Szikossy et al. 1997). As a result (approx.) 60 % of the bodies are mummified, the rest are more or less skeletonized. Morphological and radiological examination revealed several cases of spinal tuberculosis (Pap et al. 2002), and microbiological analysis showed evidence of DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 69.8% of the mummies (Fletcher et al. 2003, Donoghue et al. 2011). Our research goal is to define distinct spinal pathological changes in Vác mummies by specific analysis of Schmorl's nodes and their influence on the postural function of the spine. Schmorl’s nodes were systematically analyzed on the spines of 90 mummies. Macromorphological and microscopic visual methods were used on a total of 1867 vertebrae. Based on their morphology, Schmorl’s nodes were divided into four types (A to D). Preliminary analysis showed the most frequent pathological changes were A (in progress) and B (in recent) while type C was not detected on preserved vertebral samples. Additional research is necessary to determine why type C (old pathological changes) has not occurred. Underlying causes are probably related to specific activities or occupations, which can be further investigated by interpreting the “life style” of the 18th century inhabitants of Vác.

Vác mummies, anthropology, spine

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