'Til Poison Phosphorous Brought them Death': A potentially occupationally-related disease in a post-medieval skeleton from north-east England.

Journal article


Roberts, C.A., Caffell, A., Filipek, K., Gowland, R. and Jakob, T. 2016. 'Til Poison Phosphorous Brought them Death': A potentially occupationally-related disease in a post-medieval skeleton from north-east England. International Journal of Paleopathology. 13, pp. 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2015.12.001
AuthorsRoberts, C.A., Caffell, A., Filipek, K., Gowland, R. and Jakob, T.
Abstract

This paper describes the pathological changes observed on the skeleton of a c.12–14 year old person buried in a north-east England Quaker cemetery dated to AD 1711–1857. Bone formation (woven and lamellar) and destruction are present mainly on the mandible, clavicles, sternum and scapulae, long bones of the right arm, left ribs, spine, ilia, and the femora and tibiae. Differential diagnoses of tuberculosis and other pulmonary diseases, smallpox, actinomycosis, neoplastic disease, and “phossy jaw” are considered. While the pathological changes could represent all previously described diseases and thus be associated with the insalubrious conditions in which this person lived, it is also possible that this person worked in the matchmaking industry known to be present in the region at the time. Attention is drawn to the previously overlooked condition “phossy jaw” caused by phosphorus poisoning, which was strongly associated with this industry. While matchstick making was an industry often associated with women and girls, DNA analysis of a bone sample from the skeleton did not successfully identify biological sex. Two dental calculus samples from this person were analysed for phosphorus, and comparisons were made with samples from the same and a different site; the levels did not indicate the person was more exposed to phosphorus than any of the other people at Coach Lane. However, the pathological lesions described also have relevance in a clinical context, because “phossy jaw” has been observed in living populations, arising as a consequence of ingesting phosphorous contained within some pharmaceuticals used for treating neoplastic disease and osteoporosis.

Keywordspathology ; treating neoplastic disease; osteoporosis; human remains ; skeleton ; AD 1711–1857; Paleopathology
Year2016
JournalInternational Journal of Paleopathology
Journal citation13, pp. 39-48
PublisherElsevier
ISSN1879-9817
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2015.12.001
Web address (URL)http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84955588376&partnerID=MN8TOARS
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1879981715300267?via%3Dihub
https://dro.dur.ac.uk/19368/
Output statusPublished
Publication dates04 Feb 2016
Publication process dates
Accepted17 Dec 2015
Deposited16 Aug 2022
Permalink -

https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/982yy/-til-poison-phosphorous-brought-them-death-a-potentially-occupationally-related-disease-in-a-post-medieval-skeleton-from-north-east-england

  • 27
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Uncovering the Wedding of the Dead: Biomolecular investigations of Transylvanian children with s(Cu)rvy
Filipek, K. 2023. Uncovering the Wedding of the Dead: Biomolecular investigations of Transylvanian children with s(Cu)rvy. British Association of Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology 24th Annual Conference.
Discoveries from recent excavations of the Jucu de Sus Cemetery (Cluj County)
Filipek, K.L. 2023. Discoveries from recent excavations of the Jucu de Sus Cemetery (Cluj County). Romania Institutul Naţional al Patrimoniului (Romania).
Here and Now, There and Then: Two Mycobacterial Diseases Still with Us Today
Roberts, C. A., Belvins, K. E., Filipek, K. and Miranda, A. P. 2022. Here and Now, There and Then: Two Mycobacterial Diseases Still with Us Today. in: Grauer, A. L. (ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Paleopathology Abingdon, Oxfordshire Routledge. pp. 1-18
Creating communities of care: Sex estimation and mobility histories of adolescents buried in the cemetery of St. Mary Magdalen leprosarium (Winchester, England)
Filipek, K., Roberts, C. A., Montgomery, J., Gowland, R. L., Moore, J., Tucker, K. and Evans, J. A. 2022. Creating communities of care: Sex estimation and mobility histories of adolescents buried in the cemetery of St. Mary Magdalen leprosarium (Winchester, England). American Journal of Physical Anthropology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24498
Illness and inclusion: Mobility histories of adolescents with leprosy from Anglo‐Scandinavian Norwich (Eastern England)
Filipek, K., Charlotte A. Roberts, Rebecca L. Gowland, Janet Montgomery and Jane A. Evans 2021. Illness and inclusion: Mobility histories of adolescents with leprosy from Anglo‐Scandinavian Norwich (Eastern England). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. Vol 31 (Issue 6), pp. 1180-1191. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3029
Carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of individuals from Hyde Abbey
Filipek, K. 2021. Carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses of individuals from Hyde Abbey. in: Patrick Ottaway (ed.) Hampshire Cultural Trust.
Alloparenting adolescents
Filipek, K. 2021. Alloparenting adolescents. in: Ellen J. Kendall and Ross Kendall (ed.) The Family in Past Perspective An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Familial Relationships Through Time London Routledge. pp. 30-57
Death metal: Evidence for the impact of lead poisoning on childhood health within the Roman Empire
Joanna Moore, Kori Filipek, Vana Kalenderian, Rebecca Gowland, Elliott Hamilton, Jane Evans and Janet Montgomery 2021. Death metal: Evidence for the impact of lead poisoning on childhood health within the Roman Empire. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. Vol 31 (Issue 5), pp. 846 - 856. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3001
British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Race Equality Review
Arday, J., Craig-Atkins, L., Faillace, K., Filipek, K., Hullock, K. M., Lee, M., Redfern, R., Watkin, T. and Williams, A. 2021. British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Race Equality Review. United Kingdom British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology.
Romans, barbarians and foederati: New biomolecular data and a possible region of origin for “Headless Romans” and other burials from Britain
Filipek, K. 2020. Romans, barbarians and foederati: New biomolecular data and a possible region of origin for “Headless Romans” and other burials from Britain. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. Vol 30 (Arpil 2020, Article: 102180). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.102180
Childhood “stress” and stable isotope life‐histories in Transylvania
Filipek, K. 2019. Childhood “stress” and stable isotope life‐histories in Transylvania. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. Vol 29 (Issue 4), pp. 644-653. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2760
The Bioarchaeology of Infectious Disease
Filipek, K. and Roberts, C. A. 2018. The Bioarchaeology of Infectious Disease. in: The International Encyclopedia of Biological Anthropology Hoboken, New Jersey Wiley.
Jucu de Sus Medieval Cemetery: Excavation and Analysis Report
Filipek, K. 2017. Jucu de Sus Medieval Cemetery: Excavation and Analysis Report. in: Cronica cercetărilor arheologice din România : campania 2017 : a 52-a sesiune de rapoarte arheologice Muzeul de istorie al Transilvaniei, Cluj, 15-17 noiembrie 2018 Transylvania Cluj-Napoca: National History Museum of Transylvania, 2018..
Investigation of a Medieval Pilgrim Burial Excavated from the Leprosarium of St Mary Magdalen Winchester, UK
Roffey, S., Tucker, K., Filipek, K., Montgomery, J., Cameron, J., O’Connell, T., Evans, J., Marter, P. and Taylor, G.M. 2017. Investigation of a Medieval Pilgrim Burial Excavated from the Leprosarium of St Mary Magdalen Winchester, UK. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 11 (1), pp. 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0005186
Isotopic profiling of diet, health, and mobility amongst the non-adult Gepid population buried at the Archuid Cemetery in Transylvania, Romania (4th–7th centuries AD).
Filipek, K. 2016. Isotopic profiling of diet, health, and mobility amongst the non-adult Gepid population buried at the Archuid Cemetery in Transylvania, Romania (4th–7th centuries AD). American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Vol 159 (Issue 62), p. 124. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.22955
Jucu de Sus excavations. Punct: Râtul boilor (parcul industrial TETAROM III).
Filipek, K. 2016. Jucu de Sus excavations. Punct: Râtul boilor (parcul industrial TETAROM III). Cronica Cercetărilor Arheologice Din România: Campania 2015.
Jucu de Sus, com. Jucu, jud. Cluj. Punct: Râtul boilor (parcul industrial TETAROM III).
Filipek, K. 2015. Jucu de Sus, com. Jucu, jud. Cluj. Punct: Râtul boilor (parcul industrial TETAROM III).
Ill-Fated? Exploring bioarchaeological links between childhood non-specific indicators of stress and leprosy immunity in Medieval England.
Filipek, K. 2014. Ill-Fated? Exploring bioarchaeological links between childhood non-specific indicators of stress and leprosy immunity in Medieval England. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Vol 153 (Issue S58).