Roman writers acknowledged the peculiar biological and psychological characteristics of children. This thesis examines the hypothesis that they regarded them as members of distinct epidemiological and therapeutic groups. Its chief sources of information are medical texts from the Early Empire, supplemented by archaeological evidence. It attempts to determine the extent to which the above traits informed theories concerning the prevalence, pathogenesis and prognosis of childhood ailments.

Celsus stated that children should not be treated in the same way as adults. This thesis investigates whether other medical authorities shared this view, and whether Roman practitioners abided by this principle. It explores the ways in which they treated sick children and whether they employed different approaches according to the age or gender of individuals.

This research breaks new ground in that it makes direct comparisons between treatments for children and adults, and children of varying age, and between children of either gender. It acknowledges the diversity of medicine in the Roman world and places equal emphasis on ‘scientific’ and supernatural practices. Another innovation is the use of case studies; these provide an opportunity to compare and discuss choices of therapeutic modalities for nine groups of diseases and in patients in different age categories.

Roman children in the early empire: a distinct epidemiological and therapeutic category?

World-renowned Renaissance astronomer Tycho Brahe died on 24 October 1601, after 11 days of illness. Several conspiracy theories regarding his death have been aired, the first shortly after his death by William Shakespeare in the play Hamlet, published in 1603. A key factor in the still lively debate is whether he was administered mercury—as medicine by his own hand, or as poison by an unfriendly hand. In 2010, Brahe's grave was reopened and samples of his bones, hair, teeth and the textiles were procured and analysed. Here, we present evidence that Brahe was not administered lethal doses of mercury.

Was He Murdered Or Was He Not?—Part I: Analyses of Mercury in the Remains of Tycho Brahe

The Franciscan Friary in Montella near Avellino in Southern Italy is of special interest because according to historical sources it was founded by St. Francis himself in AD 1221–1222. Human remains of several hundred individuals interred in the cloister walk have been unearthed during two excavation campaigns conducted in 2007–2008 and 2010. The environs of the friary have remained rural since the foundation preventing much modern contamination. The state of preservation of the skeletons is fair to good making a suite of analyses worthwhile. The skeletons have been examined anthropologically and tissue samples have been subjected to radiocarbon dating, stable isotope measurements and trace element analyses by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The radiocarbon dates are consistent with the historical sources and show that the cemetery in the cloister walk has been in uninterrupted use from the foundation of the friary in AD 1221–1222 and until the cemetery went out of use in AD 1524. The anthropological investigations show that the individuals interred at the friary would have been shorter than other Italians from the same time, and it seems that tuberculosis was more prevalent than leprosy. Isotopic measurements show a mixed agricultural and pastoral diet and none of the individuals were consuming marine protein. Based on the trace element analysis it seems that the people resided mainly at two distinct geographical areas, one of which was Montella. One individual stands out from the rest, because he was born and raised at some third geographical location distinct from Montella and because he sports the second oldest radiocarbon date of AD 1050–1249 (two sigma calibrated range). This date is consistent with the first generation of the founders of the friary—perhaps one of St. Francis’ fellow travellers from Assisi.

/pdf/convento-di-san-francesco-a-folloni-the-function-of-a-287cw34aww.pdf

Convento di San Francesco a Folloni: The function of a medieval franciscan friary seen through the burials

The evolution of funeral practices from the Middle Ages through the Modern era in Europe is generally seen as a process of secularization. The study, through imaging and autopsy, of two mummies, five lead urns containing hearts, and more than six hundred skeletons of nobles and clergymen from a Renaissance convent in Brittany has led us to reject this view. In addition to exceptional embalming, we observed instances in which hearts alone had been extracted, a phenomenon that had never before been described, and brains alone as well, and instances in which each spouse's heart had been placed on the other's coffin. In some identified cases we were able to establish links between the religious attitudes of given individuals and either ancient Medieval practices or more modern ones generated by the Council of Trent. All of these practices, which were a function of social status, were rooted in religion. They offer no evidence of secularization whatsoever.

https://serval.unil.ch/resource/serval:BIB_93FCBF0794A6.P001/REF.pdf

Procedures and Frequencies of Embalming and Heart Extractions in Modern Period in Brittany. Contribution to the Evolution of Ritual Funerary in Europe.

This article describes the potential interest in physical and forensic anthropology of the microscopic analysis of residues of putrefaction fluid, a calcified deposit frequently found associated with bone rests. Its sampling and analysis seem straightforward and relatively reproducible. Samples came from archeological material (Monterenzio Vecchia, an Etruscan necropolis from the north of Italy dated between the fifth and third century B.C.; body rests of Agnes Sorel, royal mistress died in 1450 A.D.; skull and grave of French King Louis the XI and Charlotte of Savoy dated from 1483 A.D.). All samples were studied by direct optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy. Many cytological, histological, and elemental analysis were possible, producing precious data for the identification of these remains and, in some cases, the cause of death.

The microscopic (optical and SEM) examination of putrefaction fluid deposits (PFD). Potential interest in forensic anthropology

According to her last will Agnes Sorel has been buried in the Collegiate Church Saint-Ours de Loches. The transfer from Logis Royal gave the opportunity to authenticate her ashes and to clarify the year of her birth, the cause of her death or ... the colour of her hair.

[Who was the "Dame de Beauté?" Scientific study of the remains of Agnes Sorel].

Suite a la redecouverte d'un squelette dans les reserves d'un musee de Laval (2007), une equipe de chercheurs a tente de faire parler les restes osseux grâce aux techniques anthropologiques modernes. L'ensemble de l'etude anthropobiologique et paleopathologique aboutit a la conclusion qu'il s'agit bien des restes du dernier comte de la lignee des Laval, mort a 20 ans sur un champ de bataille. Les traces de son trepas violent sont inscrites sur ses ossements de meme que sont lisibles toutes celles liees a l'embaumement realise pour ramener le jeune Guy XX pres des siens. L'etude en parallele des restes supposes de sa mere, retrouves lors d'une fouille archeologique en 1987', donne de precieux et solides indices sur la filiation entre les deux personnages. Les traces d'embaumement de la dame de Laval, qui n'avaient pas encore vraiment fait l'objet d'une etude, temoignent elles aussi du zele apporte a sa depouille en 1619. On se propose de revenir sur les derniers jours de la vie de Guy XX et de sa mere, d'aborder leur etude anthropologique, puis de definir les criteres d'attribution de l'identite des squelettes.

Les derniers jours des comtes de Laval. Etude ostéo-archéologique des restes de Guy XX et D'Anne D'Alègre.

Il n'existe pas une paralysie faciale mais des paralysies faciales, dont les figurations ou les stigmates sont encore visibles respectivement sur les objets manufactures et sur les squelettes des populations du passe. A travers des exemples divers ayant fait l'objet d'un reexamen medical, on donne une vision d'ensemble du diagnostic retrospectif de cette maladie tant en icono-diagnostic qu'en paleopathologie. Est en particulier decrite une statuette hellenistique de Smyrne (Turquie) inedite, mise en parallele avec d'autres representations issues de zones geographiques diverses afin de montrer l'universalite des paralysies faciales. On rappelle egalement quels sont les criteres anthropologiques et paleopathologiques permettant le diagnostic d'une telle lesion sur des restes osseux.

[A new case of facial paralysis on a terra cotta Hellenistic smyrniote. Icono-diagnosis and paleopathology of facial paralyses].

Bouchet and Charlier regret the low level of the history of medicine in French faculties of medicine and try to classify them according to their efforts in this field.

Teaching the history of medicine in French universities

les tonneaux de vin ou de bière, du bout des doigts pour estimer le niveau du liquide restant après soutirage. Mais cette observation en serait sans doute restée là, si le médecin n’avait eu l’oreille exercée d’un mélomane. Pratiquée durant près de deux siècles, la percussion a été supplantée par l’échographie, qui, en somme est à la percussion ce que le Concorde est à l’avion de Blériot ou la guitare électrique à la mandoline... Le souvenir de ce médecin mélomane vaut d’être mieux connu qu’il ne l’est en France. En effet, si la percussion d’un objet quelconque pour en apprécier la densité est une pratique qui remonte vraisemblablement à la plus haute Antiquité, sans doute a-t-il été nécessaire d’attendre la conjonction, chez un médecin, d’un sens aigu de l’observation et de qualités musicales particulièrement développées pour que soit mise au point la percussion. Homme d’une grande culture autant que modeste, fort attaché à sa famille et dont le caractère bienveillant se situait totalement à l’opposé de la personnalité d’un Morgagni, Auenbrugger fut à la fois un praticien dévoué à ses patients, qui apporta une contribution importante à l’essor de la médecine et un mélomane dont les talents artistiques permirent la découverte de la percussion et ouvrirent la voie à la méthode anatomoclinique.

Une petite patiente de Galien ? Un calcul urinaire chez une fillette de Rome : (2ème-3ème s. ap. J.-C.)

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