Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 82. (Budapest 1990)
Pap, I. ; Józsa, L.: Occurence of otitis media, mastoiditis and alterations of auditory ossicles in some early Medieval series (Hungary)
ANALES fflSTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 82. Budapest, 1990 p. 249-257. Occurrence of otitis media, mastoiditis and alterations of auditory ossicles in some early Medieval series (Hungary) * by I. PAP & L. JÓZSA, Budapest I. PAP & L. JÚZSA: Occurrence of otitis media, mastoiditis and alterations of auditory ossicles in some early Medieval series (Hungary). - Annls hist.- -nat. Mus, natn. hung. 1990, 82: 249-257. Abstract - 46 parietal bones, 74 ear ossicles of 25 individuals were examined grossly, by Bioplast stereomicroscope and by X-ray. Half of the anvils, one-third of the hammers and one-fifth of the stirrups demonstrated pathological alterations. The individuals represented by these skulls must have suffered from a great number of recurring, chronic inflammations of the parietal bone. At least half of the individuals analyzed were hard of hearing, and one of them had unilateral deafness (caused by stapes footplate fixation). Predominantly adult- and mature-age individuals were afflicted with infectious middle ear diseases, almost all the cases proved to be bilateral. No evidence of severe, septic complications, otogenic pyencephalus , cholesteatoma, or surgical intervention was found. With 3 tables and 3 photoplates . INTRODUCTION Even in our times inflammations of the middle ear and of the ear region are the most frequent infectious diseases. Only sporadic and much differing data are available on the occurrence of these illnesses in Ancient and Medieval times (MOREL & LER0I-G0URHAN 1958, GREGG et al. 1965, LYNN & BENITEZ 1974, RATHBUN & MALLIN 1977, SCHULTZ 1979a, 1979b, GREGG & STEELE 1982). MOREL & LER0I-G0URHAN (1958) found no trace of inflammation of the middle ear on the remains of Merovingian Franks. SCHULTZ (1979b) successfully discovered such diseases on the skeletal material of two Frankish-Alemannic cemeteries and three pre-Columbian populations. He pointed out the most probable interrelations of these diseases to social standing, working and living conditions. 39-51% of the examined temporal bones from pre- and post-Columbian Indian burials showed evidence of pneumatic disturbance of processus mastoideus (GREGG et al. 1965, GREGG & STEELE 1982). Not a single otosclerosis with stapes footplate fixation was found in these Indian populations (HOLZHUETER et al. 1965). 40% of the skulls studied had definite evidence of middle ear disease in prehistoric Iranian populations (RATHBUN & MALLIN 1977). LISONEK and his team (LISONEK 1983a, 1983b, 1984 LISONEK et al. 1986) analyzed inflammatory and degenerative alterations of auditory ossicles (mainly) from the Middle Ages. REGÖLY-MÉREI (1962) found no mastoid abscess and fistula. LUZSA et al. (1988) discovered chronic maxillary sinusitis on one of 15 skeletons found in the royal tombs of Székesfehérvár (Hungary). They mentioned no otitis media or mastoiditis. Paper presented at the "3rd Congressus Anthropologicus A. Hrdlickae", Prague - Humpolec, 1989.
