Marta Licata

Different types of traumatic lesions on mediaeval skeletons from archaeological sites in Varese (North Italy): Diagnosis on ante mortal fractures using macroscopic, radiological and CT analysis

This is the medical history of three skeletons from archaeological sites in the province of Varese that are interesting because they show signs of traumatic injury to the skull and postcranial skeleton. Fractures of two of the skeletons were analysed by CT scan and radiological investigations to understand the extent of the damage and to hypothesise the cause. The study of lesions on ancient human remains is important to understand the degree of interpersonal violence within ancient communities and to reconstruct the dynamics of a violent episode.

A pyramid skull of an epileptic (1901). Anthropological diagnose of a positivistic physician

In the literature of Criminal Anthropology from the second half of the nineteenth century, we find several studies in which cranial malformation is linked to nervous mental diseases. In particular, in the Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, Criminal Anthropology and Related Sciences (original title: Rivista di Psichiatria Forense, Antropologia Criminale e Scienze Affini), discussions on epilepsy are reported [1, 2]. Pathology was already well known in antiquity as documented by historical sources [3, 4]. With this in mind, I want to recall a publication of a little known Italian physiciananthropologist Abele De Blasio (1858–1945) [5] in which the author highlighted the correlation between a seriously malformed skull and epilepsy. The article, entitled Pyramid skull in an epileptic, was published in 1901 [6]. The author morphologically described a skull of a woman who died at the age of 52 in the Hospital of Incurabili (Naples). The woman suffered from epileptic seizures in her early teenage years and showed a severe malformation of the skull, a pyramidal shape. For her appearance, the woman was called BMary the Witch.^ It is interesting to note that Lombrosian Criminal Anthropology reinforced the idea that biology could explain all human behaviors and mental diseases linked to abnormal behavior could be analyzed by the skills of Psychiatry. The anthropological description of the skull and the research of the biological causes of this malformation allows us to comprehend the position of positivist anthropologists of that time and about mental diseases such as epilepsy [7, 8]. I can only report the most important morphological features, the skull abnormalities, what the author described, and his anthropological considerations. As far as we know, the skull has not been exposed to any museums and it is not part of any anthropological collection. We can assume that, after the autopsy and the anthropological examination, it was buried. The skull presents a flat and high forehead, without eyebrow reliefs (Fig. 1). The glabella is over developed and the orbits are narrow; the right one is elliptical while the left is quadrangular; between them, there is an important interorbital space (30 mm). The piriform opening of the nasal septum is irregularly divided; the left is wider than the right. De Blasio then, by the observation of a normal profile skull (Fig. 2), noted that the temporal fossa had almost disappeared and that, between the outer part of sphenoid and the inside of the zygomatic arch, there was a space about a half a centimeter. The

Corpus loquens: The speaking body and Abele De Blasio (1858-1945)

MELANIA BORGO*, MARIANO MARTINI**, NICOLA LUIGI BRAGAZZI***, FILIPPO PALUAN****, ILARIA GORINI*, IGNAZIO VECCHIO*****, MARTA LICATA* *Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria (Varese), O. Rossi, 9, 21100, Varese, Italy-**Section of History of Medicine and Ethics, Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Largo R. Benzi, 10 Pad . 3, Genoa 16132, Italy -***Department of Health Sciences (DISSAL), University of Genoa, Via Antonio Pastore 1, Genoa 16132, Italy ****Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani, n. 2 35128 Padova, Italy *****Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Italy

New paleoradiological investigations of ancient human remains from North West Lombardy archaeological excavations

ObjectiveSince its birth in 1895, radiology has been used to study ancient mummies. The purpose of this article is to present paleoradiological investigations conducted on several medieval human remains in Varese province. Anthropological (generic identification) and paleopathological analyses were carried out with the support of diagnostic imaging (X-ray and CT scans).Materials and methodsHuman remains were discovered during excavations of medieval archaeological sites in northwest Lombardy. Classical physical anthropological methods were used for the macroscopic identification of the human remains. X-ray and CT scans were performed on the same scanner (16-layer Hitachi Eclos 16 X-ray equipment).ResultsRadiological analysis permitted investigating (1) the sex, (2) age of death, (3) type of trauma, (4) therapeutic interventions and (5) osteomas in ancient human remains. In particular, X-ray and CT examinations showed dimorphic facial traits on the mummified skull, and the same radiological approaches allowed determining the age at death from a mummified lower limb. CT analyses allow investigating different types of traumatic lesions in skulls and postcranial skeleton portions and reconstructing the gait and functional outcomes of a fractured femur. Moreover, one case of possible Gardner’s syndrome (GS) was postulated from observing multiple osteomas in an ancient skull.ConclusionAmong the medical tests available to the clinician, radiology is the most appropriate first-line procedure for a diagnostic approach to ancient human remains because it can be performed without causing any significant damage to the specimen.

A foetal tile from an archaeological site: anthropological investigation of human remains recovered in a medieval cemetery in Northern Italy

Abstract Background: The recovery of foetal remains is very sporadic in archaeology, especially due the scarce degree of bone mineralisation. This paper presents the singular archaeological discovery of a foetal tile preserving the bone remains, object of our anthropological examination. Materials and methods: The foetal tile was discovered during an archaeological excavation in a medieval site (Northern Italy). The tile was analysed by CT scan and later, human remains were anthropologically examined. Results: The archaeological investigation revealed a special ritual destined to foetuses while forensic anthropological analysis allowed estimating the gestational age near to 21–24 weeks.

A case of Paget from a Northern Italy medieval necropolis

An excavation conducted in 2002 by the Lombardy Archaeological Heritage in the St. Giulio Church (Cassano Magnago-Northern Italy) revealed an adult skeleton with an important alteration of the left femur. The femur, longer than the contralateral, exhibited an expansion of the full diaphysis; the surface was coarsened and porous. In cross section, it appeared that almost all the cortical bone had been converted into cancellous bone. Macroscopic and radiological alterations are suggestive of the monostotic form of Pagets disease, a chronic disorder, characterized by focal areas of excessive osteoclastic bone resorption followed by a secondary increase in osteoblastic bone formation. Differential diagnosis is complex for Pagets disease, requiring histological analysis, which revealed a thickened and disorganized trabecular pattern with thick cement lines. Such features, resembling to a mosaic pattern, are typical of Pagets disease.

Ethical issues in paleopathological and anthropological research experiences

BACKGROUND AND AIM In recent years, archaeologists and anthropologists involved in the study of human remains have had to take into consideration ethical issues, which have come to the fore. The aim of this study is to illustrate the ethical and religious issues involved in relation to the positions of researchers. METHOD Ethical issues involve the different study phases of human remains: archaeological excavation, anthropological analysis and, finally, museum display. RESULTS Osteoarchaeological remains may find a place in museums. However, in recent years, even the display of human remains museum has had to face new important ethical issue involving previously ignored or neglected aspect. The adoption of Native American Grave Protection Act in 1990 in the United States and the Human Tissue Act in 2004 in England, has created new scenarios relating to the storage of human remains in museum. CONCLUSION All this caused a series of changes in the study of human remains, but many issues remain open to debate.

Radiology of Mummies

In the past, autoptic examinations were usually performed for research. This type of examination, for obvious reasons, did not appeal to paleopathologists as these procedures potentially damaged the finds destined to musealization. Since the discovery of X-ray, radiology has been used to study mummies as a noninvasive technique. The radiology of mummies allows us to discover pathologies, to elaborate on the type of ritual mummification for the artificial embalming, to comprehend the diagenetic process that guaranteed a natural mummification, or to conclude anthropological identification. We present a review on the latest studies on mummies that have shown that the radiological approach has been essential to conduct research.

Can artificially deforming skulls cause “defects of intelligence”? The observations of a positivist anthropologist on an artificially deformed skull discovered in Naples

We discuss a particular case of an artificially deformed skull discovered in Naples in 1892 and published in the Italian Journal of Natural Sciences by the anthropologist Abele De Blasio. To comprehend the observations of the researcher about the “defects of intelligence” caused by the artificial deformation of the skull, we will also analyze other articles in which De Blasio presented the deformed skulls of ancient Peruvian mummies.

Luigi Porta’s contribution to anesthesia in Europe in the 1800s

Luigi Porta (1800–1875), an Italian physician who was well known in the field of surgery, played an important role in spreading ethereal anesthesia in Europe. Moreover, he proposed an original method to administer ethereal anesthesia, the Italian method “of the bladder of pig”. This paper reminds us of the important role that this physician played in Anesthesiology.