J. Antall szerk.: Medical history in Hungary. Presented to the XXII. International Congress for the History of Medicine / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 4. (Budapest, 1970)
ESSAYS-LECTURES - Gy. Regöly-Mérei: Paleopathological Examination of Skeletal Finds in the Roman Period and Description of Diseases in Greek and Roman Medical Texts (in English)
the survey of this all the more as D. Schranz and G. Huszár, that is K. Tóth as well as P. Bruszt have already performed the dantal examinations of the paleopathological finds in Transdanubia. From 18 examinations of the finds positive from the pathological point of view I found 10 cases of monosymptomic in 8 cases polysymptomic alterations, in 13 cases of monocausalic and in 5 cases of polycausalic origin. In the 18 pathological cases—besides dental changes— 12 kinds of diseases occured. A short paleopathological description of the most significant cases is as follows : 1. case ;Pal. path. Protoc. No/94— 58 from Fazekasboda (Invent. No. 57, 157) osteous ankylosis of cervical and lumbar vertebrae. Significant spondylitis on the vertebrae thoraceles and lumbales. The tibia is slightly bent, flattened, sheath-like. On the radiograph the cortex is broken off on the concave side, the bonesubstance is lighter with calcified spots here and there. Sacrum bifidum (till caudal 4). On the tibia 10×6 mm sharp surfaced hyperostosis. 2. case : Pal. path. Protoc. No. 196—59 from Fazekasb¤đa (Invent. No. 57, 159): both tibia slightly bent. The epyphyses postmortally broken down. On the radiograph the cortex thinned on the concave side, bone substance was light, transparent pseudo fracture lines surrounded by calcified rings, were also visible. 3. case : Pal. path. Protoc. No. 192—59 from Zengővárkony (Invent. No. 57, 139): The skullbones are usually thinned especially on the area of the right os perietale. Here small holes the size of a small usuration are visible on the lamina vitrealis on the edge of which three layers of the skullbone, are assificated together. Atrophy of the bone. On some of the areas however reactive hyperostosis. The sulci vasorum are broadened and deeper than is usual. The skull is Skaphoand plagiokephal. 4. case: Pal. path. Protoc. No. 202—59 from Vörösmart (Invent. No. 57, 115): (no dental changes) Processus spinals and transversus bony ankylosed both vertebrae are broken off, body-carriage was also bad, so the anatomical origin could not be established; further a pair of ankylosed dorsal vertebrae are also to be observed. The synostosis is bridge-like and touches the corpus and arcus. Bony signs of arthritis on the shoulder-joints, the lumbar vertebrae, the pelvis-edges and the sacralis joint. Sacrum bifidum. 5. case: Pal. path. Protoc. No. 209—59 from Vörösmart (Inv. No. 57, 126): adult male. The maxilla and the processus alveolaris of the os intermaxillare do not fit, neither is a fissure of the hard palate on the area of the sutura palatina media. The complete fissure communicates broadly from the surface of the fissura maxilla as the osplatum with the nasal cavity. The right half of the maxilla is only rudimentaraly developed, here the processus alveolaris did not form, teeth did not develop except one of the front teeth which was set in an irregular place and way. The aperture piriformis is also irregularly shaped its edge to the right slopes steeply and therefore its characteristic shape is changed. We must emphasize that no other malformation was to be observed either on the skeleton bones or on the spine. It is well known from pathological anatomy that various kinds of congenital malformations usually occur at the same time, however this is not an unsurmountable rule, also it is possible that these changes appeared on the soft parts. 57
