Paleopathology in Perspective

Elizabeth Weiss is professor of anthropology at San Jose State University. Her publications include Reburying the Past, Bioarchaeological Science, and Introduction to Human Evolution.

This book is an important resource for students of ancient disease. It successfully integrates paleopathological and modern biomedical data to provide an overview of how socio-economic and lifestyle factors affect the frequency of bone and dental diseases from prehistory to the present day. Technical jargon is kept to a minimum, each substantive chapter ends with a concise conclusions section summarizing the main points, and there is an up-to-date and extensive bibliography.

• List of FiguresAcknowledgments1—Introduction to Bone ResearchBone BiologyTemporal Changes in Human LifestyleEvidence of Change: Skeletal Samples and Clinical Databases2—Growth PatternsThe Human Growth PatternLong Bone GrowthOsteological Indicators of GrowthConclusions3—Adult Bone HealthOsteomalaciaOsteoporosis and OsteopeniaConclusions4—Childhood InjuriesDetecting Childhood TraumaPatterns of Childhood Trauma: Falls, Abuse, SportsConclusions5—Back PainsVertebral Anatomy of a BipedBack Pain DemographicsVertebral Pathology DetectionSchmorl’s NodesSpondylolysis and SpondylolisthesisTreatmentConclusions6—ArthritisErosive ArthritisOsteoarthritis: Diagnosis and Risk FactorsOsteoporosis and Other Degenerative DiseasesJoint Pain TreatmentConclusions7—Oral HealthTooth Anatomy and ExaminationsTooth Wear: Attrition, Abrasion, and ErosionTooth DecayPeriodontal DiseaseTooth LossMalocclusionConclusions8—Infectious DiseasesGeneral Bone InfectionsParasite-Induced AnemiaTreponemal DiseasesMycobacterial DiseasesConclusions9—Congenital DefectsBirth Defects DiagnosticsTemporal Changes in Birth DefectsConclusions10—The Next Fifty Years?Older PopulationsGenetic and Medical AdvancesObesityUrbanizationFood FortificationIncreasing Paternal AgeReturn of Past DiseasesConclusionsAcronymsGlossaryWorks CitedIndexAbout the Author