Porotic hyperostosis was studied in 539 crania from maize-growing prehistoric and historic groups who occupied two dissimilar ecological zones of the Plateau country of Arizona and New Mexico--canyon bottoms and sage plain. Defined as abnormal localized sieve-like structural changes involving the hematopoietic areas of the cranium, it was found in 185 (34.3%) of these skulls. More frequent in children than in adults, it shows significant frequency differences between both children and adults of the two ecological zones. The two ecological zones differ in the availability of iron in the diet; the canyon inhabitants depended heavily on maize (which interferes with iron absorption) while the sage plain people consumed more iron-rich animal products. We hypothesize that an increased dependence on maize produced more iron deficiency anemia and resulted in more porotic hyperostosis. Maize is known to have permitted a food surplus which in turn allowed for increased Southwestern population growth in marginal areas like the canyon bottoms. Heavy dependency on a single food type with consequent hematologic problems may have been an important reason for the subsequent abandonment of the Anasazi region.

One hundred and twenty adult and 80 human fetal skulls were examined to find the relationship (if any) between the presence of wormian bones in the lambdoidal suture and artificial deformation of the skull. Wormian bones occur in deformed and undeformed skulls with no significant differences. Wormian bones detected in fetal skulls preclude cultural deformation as an important factor in the formation of these bones. It is hypothesized that a genetic predisposition (genes allowing formation of secondary ossification centers) is present and that wormian bones are under direct genetic control regardless of the presence or absence of detectable cultural deformation.

Two hundred black and white adult human skeletons and 200 living black and white children from the greater Cleveland area were examined for evidence of enamel hypoplasia. Enamel hypoplasia, present in varying expressings (pits, lines and grooves), was found to be more prevalent in both skeletal samples, than in the living groups. In the majority of cases, sex differences between white and black males and females through time and space are highly significant for all tooth catagories. Regardless of the mechanisms behind it, prevalence of enamel hypoplasia for both white and black group has significantly declined through time. No evidence suggesting specific etiologies responsible for enamel hypoplasia can be found. In the majority of previously published reports, the etiology is still idiopathic. The reduction in the prevalence of enamel hypoplasia in the groups examined through time may be related to improved nutritional conditions and the elimination or decline of childhood diseases that have been implicated in this condition.

Twenty-six documented cases (17 blacks, 9 whites) of skeletal tuberculosis from the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, were analyzed for lesion variability and patterns of multiple site involvement. In addition, several documented cases of pathologic conditions (osteomyelitis, vertebral fractures, and malignant bone tumors) that resemble skeletal tuberculosis were photographed and described for use in differential diagnosis. The range of variation of tuberculous lesions was found to be considerable. Thirty-eight percent (10/26) of the cases display skeletal lesions in two or more regions concomitantly. The average number of vertebrae affected, as well as the incidence of multiple bone involvement, were found to be higher in blacks. Certain combinations of skeletal lesions (e.g., spine-rib, spine-rib-sternum, and spine-hip) may be useful in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in dry bone material.

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