Health and disease at a South Carolina plantation: 1840-1870

American Journal of Physical Anthropology
T A Rathbun

Abstract

The analysis of 36 human skeletons (eight subadults, 13 males, 15 females) recovered during a cemetery relocation near Charleston, SC, provides data on health and disease for a 19th-century sample of Afro-Americans. The majority of the burials date from 1840-1870. Skeletal analysis verified some historical interpretations. Gender differential in mortality is evident with average age at death for males 35 and females 40 years. Females, besides living longer, had more missing and carious teeth but fewer abscesses. Both genders expressed childhood metabolic stress as indicated by linear enamel hypoplasias. Males, however, had a higher incidence (92%) than did females (70%). Age at occurrence was more widely distributed for females, but ages 2-4 were most critical for both genders. Postcranial indications of recovery from acute stress, Harris lines, occurred more frequently for males (45%) than for females (18%). Anemia, probably both genetic and acquired, was a significant health problem for both genders. Cribra orbitalia appeared in 35% of the adult crania, and 80% of the subadults had orbital lesions. Diplotic expansion of the cranial vault and infection were relatively common in the sample. Skeletal reaction to infections appea...Continue Reading

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