Intestinal parasitic infection within a wealthy nineteenth century household from rural New England: Evidence from Dartmouth College, New Hampshire

Abstract

Abstract Previous archaeoparasitology research in the eastern United States suggests that parasitic infection was most widespread in urban areas and among communities of lower socioeconomic status, a pattern attributed to poor sanitation, dense populations of humans and animals, and limited medical care access. The present study documents parasitic disease in a rural, wealthy, and highly educated community of northern New England through the analysis of fecal samples collected from a privy once attached to a 1786 house located on the campus of Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. Three solidly formed organic samples dating to the 1830\xa0s–1840\xa0s were recovered from secure contexts during excavations in 2019. The samples were rehydrated in 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution for 72-hours, and were washed through 230\xa0µm, 120\xa0µm, and 25\xa0µm mesh sieves to remove large particulates and trap parasite eggs on the smallest sieve. The trapped material was collected, centrifuged, and examined using light microscopy for signs of parasite eggs. All three samples were positive for both tapeworm (Taenia spp.) and whipworm (Trichuris trichiura) eggs, suggesting that parasitic infection affected the Dartmouth community during the early nineteenth century. These results indicate that despite cold winters inhospitable to most parasite species, relatively good sanitation, accessible medical care, and the low population densities of rural New England, parasite infection was likely a concern even within affluent households. It therefore appears that nineteenth century parasite infection was not limited to low-income households in urban settings, but may also have been an important health concern for Dartmouth community members.