The bones in the collection are exceptionally free from the effects
of injury and disease. The skulls exhibit no scars or injuries, and
no disease, with the exception of a case of perforating mastoiditis
in one of the children (no. 285,348). There is, however, as will be
shown later, a considerable proportion of dental caries, with some
indications of _pyorrhea alveolaris_.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 62 PLATE 3
PLAN OF THE MUNSEE BURIAL SITE SHOWING LOCATION AND POSITION OF THE
BURIALS]
In the remaining bones of the skeletons the only marks of injury or
disease are as follow:
_Humeri_ (total number present, adults,[14] 56):
Left bone of no. 285,307: Old surface injury involving lower
fourth of external border, with formation of some callus and
a peculiar foramen (pl. 23).
Right bone of no. 285,303: Complete ankylosis with ulna, at
right angle, possibly as a result of an early fracture of the
olecranon (pl. 24).
Both humeri of no. 285,320: Some periostitis on distal third.
Both humeri of no. 285,306: Osteoperiostitis, distal half.
[14] The bones of the children show nothing pathological.
_Radii_ (total number, adults, 45):
Both bones of no. 285,320: Some osteoperiostitis over distal half.
_Ulnæ_ (total number, adults, 44):
Left bone of no. 285,306: Moderate osteoperiostitis, lower bone
(right healthy).
_Femora_ (total number, adults, 60):
Pair, no. 285,306: Moderate osteoperiostitis, distal half.
Right bone of no. 285,336: Some osteoperiostitis, distal half
(left healthy).
Right bone of no. 285,320: Moderate osteoperiostitis, distal half
(left healthy).
Right bone of no. 285,313: Marked “mushroom head” (arthritis
deformans); left healthy.
Left bone of no. 285,321: Moderate “mushroom head.”
_Tibiæ_ (total number, adults, 58):
Right bone of no. 285,301: Trace of periostitis at middle
(left healthy).
Right bone of no. 285,303: Slight osteoperiostitis on external
surface, middle third (left healthy).
Right bone of no. 285,306: Osteoperiostitis, proximal half
(left healthy).
Left bone of no. 285,313: Moderate localized osteoperiostitis,
middle (right healthy).
Right bone of no. 285,336: Moderate osteoperiostitis, middle
three-fifths (left healthy).
Left bone of no. 285,309: Trace of periostitis (right healthy).
Pair of no. 285,320: Osteoperiostitis.
Left bone of no. 285,321: Slight arthritis, upper articular
surface (right healthy).
_Fibulæ_ (number present, adults, 51):
Pair, no. 285,320: Osteoperiostitis.
_Clavicles_ (present, 44):
Pair, no. 285,305: Moderate osteoperiostitis.
Right, no. 285,320: Osteoperiostitis.
_Sternum_ (present, 14):
Moderate arthritic changes in nos. 285,305, 285,309, and 285,314.
_Scapulæ_ (present, 25): Nothing pathological.
_Ribs_ (present, 420):
No. 285,305: Two long ribs fractured, well healed.
No. 285,309: One long rib fractured.
In addition, most of the ribs of nos. 285,305 and 285,333 show
traces of arthritis.
_Spine_ (of 25 individuals, mostly complete):
No. 285,305: Some marginal exostoses (arthritic) in the cervical
and lumbar regions.
No. 285,306: Moderate arthritic exostoses, lumbar region.
No. 285,333: Advanced spondylitis deformans, involving parts of
dorsal and whole lumbar region with sacrum, synostosis.
No. 285,319: Moderate arthritic exostoses on nearly all.
No. 285,311: Moderate arthritic exostoses.
No. 285,320: Moderate arthritic exostoses.
No. 285,328: Moderate arthritic exostoses in cervical and lumbar
regions.
_Pelvic bones_ (of 20 individuals):
No. 285,321, right: Some marks of arthritis about acetabulum.
_Bones of the hand_ (number, 774):
No. 285,303: Carpal bones of right all damaged, crushed, and
fused with third metacarpal.
No. 285,320: One of the carpals crushed in life.
_Bones of the feet_:
Os calcis (number, 61): Nothing pathological.
Astragalus (number, 58): Nothing pathological.
Other bones (number, 537):
No. 285,321: Right scaphoid, arthritis (left healthy).
No. 285,326: First right metacarpal diminutive (may have been
injured in early life).
_Patellæ_ (number, 38):
Pair of no. 285,329: Slight arthritis.
A summary of the above details shows that there are only six, possibly
seven, instances of more noteworthy injury, and of these three pertain
to ribs (two in one person) and two to the wrist. These are very
moderate proportions of traumatism, and show plainly that the people
represented by the remains led unusually peaceful lives.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 62 PLATE 4