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Inflammatory bone changes in leprous skeletons from the medieval Hospital of St. James and St. Mary Magdalene,
M E Lewis1, C A Roberts, K Manchester
1Department of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, U.K.
Abstract:
The extent and location of an inflammatory bone lesion, periostitis, were examined in 50 leprous skeletons from the Chichester cemetery of the Hospital of St. James and St. Mary Magdalene in Sussex, England. Although the presence of periostitis is not pathognomonic of leprosy, it predominantly indicates dermal and neuropathic changes that the patient would have presented in life. The spread of inflammation across the knee joint and the ossification of the interosseous membrane due to inflammation are also suggested.