Dr. I. Pap szerk.: Studia historico-anthropologica (Anthropologia Hungarica 22. Budapest, 1992)

to 5 years of age. 80% of them remain seriously, 10% slightly disabled (Mumenthaler 1989, Papp 1986). The surgical treatment of those with covered spina bifida has better prospects, but two-thirds of these patients remain disabled anyway (Papp 1986). On the examined cervical-vertebra find, serious dysmorphism can be observed. Beginning from the atlas, the spinous process is missing from all the cervical vertebrae found. In the closure of the posterior vertebral arc, a significant hiatus can be detected (10-21 millimeters). On this basis, the find can be diagnosed as spina bifida with complete certainty. The prospects of this serious illness are unfavourable even in our days. The closure disorders of the spinal cord are multifactorial diseases: environmental factors, too, contribute to their occurrence (Éry 1974, Papp 1986). The frequency of its incidence was about 33 thousandth some decades ago. Since then its ratio has decreased by 60-80% (Papp 1986) owing not only to prenatal screening, but to the improvement of environmental factors. The other way round: the intrauterine occurrence of spina bifida must have been much more frequent, the prognostication of those with the illness who were born much worse in the 16-18th centuries, the environmental factors (way of life, nutrition) being much less favourable then. On the basis of the findings we consider it exceptional that a male with such a grade of serious lesion affecting the cervical section, needing care, was able to live up to this relatively old age (Althouse & Wald 1980). We have no information of similar case described in the literature. As a consequence of the lesion, the lower limbs may have been paralysed. Bing (1945) reports spastic paraplegia about a child examined, considering cervical localisation to be extraordinarily rare (Fig. 3). Törő & Csaba (1964) publish the photo of a similar case (Fig. 4). Protrusion of the meningium and of a part of the spinal cord can be assumed, forming meningocele or meningomyelocele. The latter usually is accompanied by other developmental anomalies (e. g. hydrocephalus internus) (Horányi 1961). About the cranium, with radiological methods, brain compression, hydrocephalus could not be proved. On the basis of the foregoing, a high standard of socialization can be assumed of the population which used the cemetery. REFERENCES Althouse, R. & Wald, N. (1980): Survival and handicap of infants with spina bifida. —Arc. Dis. Child. 55: 845850. Barta, O. ed. (1983): Az ortopédia tankönyve [Outlines of orthopedy]. — Medicina, Budapest, pp. 90., 206. Bing, R. (1945): Az idegbetegségek tankönyve. [Outlines of neurology]. — Medicina, Budapest, pp. 557-560. Csákány, Gy. & Forrai, J. (eds) (1984): Radiológiai diagnosztika, II. [Radiological diagnostics, II. — Medicina, Budapest, pp. 655., 690. Csécsey, K., Molnár, P., Szeifert, Gy., Tóth, M. & Papp, Z. (1982): Az idegrendszer veleszületett fejlődési rendellenességeinek anatómiai variációi (Anatomical variations of development failures in the nervous system). — Ideggyógy. Szle 35: 790-797. Czeizel, E. (1976): Veleszületett rendellenességek aktuális problémái az anencephalia — spina bifida tükrében (Actual problems of inborn anomalies respecting anencephalia — spina bifida). — Biol. aki. probL 6: 155-215. Czeizel, E., Dénes, J. & Szabó, L. (1973): Veleszületett rendellenességek [Inborn anomalies]. — Medicina, Budapest, pp. 186-188.