A Post-mortem Evaluation of the Degree of Mobility in an Individual with Severe Kyphoscoliosis Using Direct Digital Radiography (DR) and Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT)

7 Disability, gender and old age in the Industrial Revolution

“…A contemporaneous example of an adult male with severe kyphoscoliosis and lower limb bowing deformities was identified in the skeletal assemblage from St Bride's Church vaults, London (Conlogue et al, 2017: 153). While it was suggested by Conlogue et al (2017) that the changes seen in the bones of the lower limbs of this individual may be related to residual rickets, and exacerbated by the biomechanical implications of the changes seen in their spine, a suggested diagnosis of neurofibromatosis was given (2017: 159). This congenital condition can in some severe cases lead to skeletal abnormalities, including scoliosis and tibial dysplasia.…”

“…It was suggested by Conlogue et al (2017) that the skeletal changes and resultant restrictions on respiratory and cardiac function seen in the individual from St Bride's, and likely too in Skeleton 15, probably had some long-term implications for functionality (Conlogue et al, 2017). However, the authors rightly state that commenting on specific activities associated with daily life that these individuals may have been able, or unable, to undertake is not feasible in the absence of further lines of evidence, and functionality too is dependent on support mechanisms available to them, personal motivation and the specific circumstances in which they lived (Conlogue et al, 2017: 170).…”

Radiology Applications in Mummy Science

“…A pathologic condition causes physiologic challenges which in turn bring on functional limitations. Through the individual's life span there is progression of the disease and thus a progression of the pathophysiological impact and resultant impairments (Conlogue et al 2017;Beckett and Conlogue 2019). These changes over time must be considered in the overall assessment and inform the probability that care was given.…”