Maize and Bone: An Evaluation and Expansion of a Proposed Model for the Differential Diagnosis of Pellagra in Human Remains

<p>This study attempts to test and expand a previous study to establish a differential diagnosis of pellagra in human remains (Paine & Brenton, 2006a). Seven individuals with documented pellagra and nine individuals randomly selected for comparison from the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection were evaluated for caries, alveolar bone loss, periostitis, osteoporosis, cribra orbitalia, and porotic hyperostosis. Results indicate that the pellagra sample had lower rates of caries and alveolar bone loss, and higher rates of periostitis of the tibia and fibula in relation to the comparison sample. No osteoporosis, cribra orbitalia, or porotic hyperostosis was found in the pellagra sample. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups for any pathology except for periostitis when combined with the findings of a previous study (Paine & Brenton, 2006a). Future study should attempt to identify additional remains of those known to have pellagra.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Miller, Myra G.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Marie Danforth
• Edwin Jackson
• Katherine Smith

• bioarchaeology
• pellagra
• maize
• differential diagnosis
• periostitis
• caries
• osteoporosis
• Biological and Physical Anthropology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/639

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-1689