Address: University of Toronto Mississauga Department of Anthropology Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex, HSC378 3359 Mississauga Road Mississauga, Ontario Canada L5L 1C6
The use of cannabis, narcotics, and other intoxicants is widespread within North American prisons... more The use of cannabis, narcotics, and other intoxicants is widespread within North American prisons, where do-it-yourself instruments are fashioned, used, traded, discarded, and/or confiscated. This cycle contributes to the long-term record of mate- rial culture and provides an opportunity to study innovations employed by incarcerated persons. An assemblage of improvised devices for consuming illicit drugs (pipes, syringe, and decoys) from Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP) in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Lab- rador, provides an opportunity to explore the culture of twentieth-century drug consump- tion at an exceptionally long-lived penal insti- tution. The collection of drug paraphernalia dates between 1971 and 1983 and represents a palimpsest of curated items confiscated by correctional officers. By drawing upon actor- network theory and a folkloric approach to the material assemblage, we situate this local assemblage within the larger carceral context wherein individuals “make do.” These objects speak to longstanding and widely shared technological traditions, an accomplished do- it-yourself ethic amongst those incarcerated, and the complex entanglement of criminality, carceral practices, and drug use.
Objective: To differentially diagnose and contextualize pathological lesions suggestive of rheuma... more Objective: To differentially diagnose and contextualize pathological lesions suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis. Materials: The skeletal remains of a 25–30-year-old female dated to c. 1750–1550 BCE from a Nubian Pan-Grave cemetery at the site of Sheik Mohamed, near Aswan, Egypt. Methods: The skeletal remains were examined macroscopically and a differential diagnosis was conducted following established protocols in the palaeopathological literature. Results: Symmetrical, bilateral, erosive periarticular lesions with smooth edges were observed in multiple joints (especially in the hands and feet). Conclusions: Differential diagnosis suggests this individual had rheumatoid arthritis. Significance: This case suggests the presence of rheumatoid arthritis in ancient Egypt, contributing to a more finely grained understanding of the antiquity and geographical distribution of the condition. Limitations: It was not possible to radiograph the skeletal remains. Suggestions for further research: Researchers are encouraged to re-examine any archaeological examples of erosive polyarthropathy using current palaeopathological protocols and to explore the manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis on the African continent.
Longitudinal mixed-methods research is necessary to understand the changing dynamics of pandemic ... more Longitudinal mixed-methods research is necessary to understand the changing dynamics of pandemic perceptions, the adoption of health behaviours, and use of media during a public health emergency. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we used a mixedmethods approach to survey young adults attending a large Canadian public university. Six online convenience survey samples were collected (
Past and present institutions (e.g., state and public hospitals, assisted living facilities, publ... more Past and present institutions (e.g., state and public hospitals, assisted living facilities, public nursing homes) have struggled with structural issues tied to patient care and neglect, which often manifests in the form of fracture trauma, and may explain why institutionalized individuals are at higher risk for this injury. Six hundred individuals from the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection born between 1822-1877 were examined to investigate hip fracture prevalence. Analysis of associated records and documentary data, including death, morgue, and census records, revealed that 36.3% (n = 218) of these individuals died in institutions such as the St. Louis State Hospital, City Infirmary, and Missouri State Hospital No. 4. Of the institutionalized individuals, 4.3% had evidence of hip fracture, significantly higher than the non-institutionalized (2.3%). Records revealed that many hip fractures were suffered around the time of death in state hospitals and were preventable, resulting from structural issues tied to understaffing and underfunding. Forensic and clinical literature, as well as current news media, indicate that structural violence in the forms of underfunding and understaffing continues to manifest as hip fractures harming institutionalized individuals today. This paper demonstrates how an anthropological perspective using paleopathological analysis sheds light on the chronicity and time depth of this issue, with the aim of driving public policy to entrench the equitable care of institutionalized people as a human right.
Two large volcanic eruptions contributed to extreme cold temperatures during the early 1800s, one... more Two large volcanic eruptions contributed to extreme cold temperatures during the early 1800s, one of the coldest phases of the Little Ice Age. While impacts from the massive 1815 Tambora eruption in Indonesia are relatively well-documented, much less is known regarding an unidentified volcanic event around 1809. Here, we describe the spatial extent, duration, and magnitude of cold conditions following this eruption in northwestern North America using a high-resolution network of tree-ring records that capture past warm-season temperature variability. Extreme and persistent cold temperatures were centered around the Gulf of Alaska, the adjacent Wrangell-St Elias Mountains, and the southern Yukon, while cold anomalies diminished with distance from this core region. This distinct spatial pattern of temperature anomalies suggests that a weak Aleutian Low and conditions similar to a negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation could have contributed to regional cold extremes after the 1809 eruption.
Paleopathological engagement with questions of marginalization and social disenfranchisement reve... more Paleopathological engagement with questions of marginalization and social disenfranchisement reveals the multidisciplinary nature of paleopathological inquiry itself. This chapter highlights the demonstrated strengths of paleopathology in engaging with the concept of marginalization, while emphasizing potential future research directions. The challenges in defining marginalization and how the concept of structural violence has been operationalized in paleopathological research are explored. Examples of how marginalization may become embodied in the skeleton are explicated as well as the process by which individuals or skeletal collections may themselves become marginalized (i.e., anatomized or dissected remains). The chapter then examines the role of the researcher in paleopathological inquiry and closes with a call to action for paleopathologists to consider their role in social justice.
To evaluate pathological lesions suggesting the presence of rickets and to place the diagnosis in... more To evaluate pathological lesions suggesting the presence of rickets and to place the diagnosis into bioarchaeological and historical context. Materials: The remains of a 3-year ± 12-month-old child discovered during a rescue excavation in Heuvelton, New York. Methods: We examined the individual macroscopically and conducted a differential diagnosis following established protocols in the palaeopathological literature. Results: Bony change on the orbits, mandible, ribs, clavicles, left scapula, humerii, radii, ulnae, femora, tibiae, fibulae (e.g., porosity, diaphyseal thickening, flaring, bowing), and dental lesions were recorded. Conclusions: We demonstrate that the child likely presented with vitamin D deficiency rickets during crawling and as they learned to walk. Significance: This example offers an important contribution to the bioarchaeological literature, as few cases of rickets have been recorded in rural North America using updated diagnostic criteria and little is known of the health and lifeways of early settlers in 19th-century upstate New York. Limitations: It is not possible to ascertain the precise aetiology of this child's rachitic state and to compare this individual with others in the population. Suggestions for further research: Examination (and re-assessment) of other North and South American skeletal assemblages for signs of vitamin D deficiency rickets following current bioarchaeological standards.
Incorporating primary documents into undergraduate teaching and research can provide opportunitie... more Incorporating primary documents into undergraduate teaching and research can provide opportunities for students to develop research skills and explore voices from the past. In this piece, I highlight the experiences of five undergraduate students who experienced working with primary documents for the first time. Their natural inductive inquiry while exploring a set of 18 th-century hospital admission records will form the foundation of future research projects, while developing broader critical thinking skills. Biocultural investigations of historic health can be brought into contemporary classrooms through the use of primary documents.
“Spectacles of Degeneracy”: Unpacking Evidence for Historical Sex Work in St. John’s, Newfoundland, 2021
This research utilizes the recently digitized prison admission records from Her Majesty’s Peniten... more This research utilizes the recently digitized prison admission records from Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP) in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, from 1838-1911 to uncover the history of sex work in the port city. 72 arrests for sex work (i.e., prostitution, running brothels, houses of ill fame, and disorderly houses) were uncovered, representing at least 30 individuals. Complementing the HMP records are newspapers, Colonial Office documents, St. John’s General Hospital admission records, and the HMP surgeon’s weekly diary. These documents allowed for the tracing of sex worker’s lifeways, revealing that recidivists struggled with acquiring and maintaining stable housing which influenced further arrests for vagrancy and sex work. Stories of vulnerable and marginalized individuals must be amplified by research that prioritizes their inclusion.
The COVID-19 pandemic has engendered a critical moment in education. Questions of equity, engagem... more The COVID-19 pandemic has engendered a critical moment in education. Questions of equity, engagement, and interaction have been brought into sharper focus as students’ homes became their classrooms. There is a demonstrated need for interdisciplinary thinking, enabling students to work with the resources they have at hand, and helping learners orient themselves in place and time. Defining Moments Canada/Moments Déterminant Canada, using the interdisciplinary framework of curatorial thinking, encourages students to make sense of information, more effectively create a meaningful story, and build a stronger sense of social responsibility and awareness. This framework is operationalized using the S.A.S.S. pedagogy—Selecting, Archiving, Sense-Making, and Sharing—through which students find their personal way into a research question and demonstrate their learning while considering narrative intent, evidence limitations, and their own role as a historical actor. This integrative, critical,...
Purpose
To investigate university students’ willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it bec... more Purpose To investigate university students’ willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.
Method A multi-methods approach was used—online convenience sample surveys and semi-structured interviews—of young adults attending a large Canadian public university. Two survey samples were collected (June 20-July 28, 2020 and September 22-October 17, 2020). Semi-structured interviews were conducted following each survey, interviewing 20 students in each round.
Results In June 77.8% of surveyed students (n = 483) were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine; in September 79.6% were willing (n = 1269). Multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses found that increasing perception of the severity of COVID-19 predicted the likelihood that a respondent was willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine in both surveys. In the latter survey students who indicated they would be encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine if their doctor/pharmacist recommended it were 76 times more likely to be willing to get the vaccine than those who would not be encouraged by medical advice. Interviews revealed concerns about the speed of the vaccine roll out, safety, and efficacy.
Conclusions The majority of university students intend to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but there are nuanced concerns about efficacy and safety that must be taken into account by public health authorities as the vaccine becomes available to this group. Ensuring that family doctors, pharmacists, and other front-line healthcare workers have consistent and clear information regarding the benefits of vaccination will be critical to encouraging uptake among young adults.
Objectives: We surveyed university students to assess their demographic factors, perceived severi... more Objectives: We surveyed university students to assess their demographic factors, perceived severity, personal susceptibility, and the adoption of health behaviours in relation to COVID-19., capturing the first month of government-mandated social distancing in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We distributed the online survey to the University of Toronto student population, yielding a total convenience sample of 592 participants. We summarised the results and conducted Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests to explore relationships between demographic data and perceived severity of COVID-19. Pearson's Chi-square tests were used to explore the relationship between demographic variables and perceived susceptibility , with phi being used to explore the strength of the association. A value of p < 0.05 was used to determine significance. Results: The majority of participants (60.1%) judged COVID-19 to be Very Severe; there was a significant relationship between being female and the adoption of new health behaviours. 57.4% indicated they felt susceptible to COVID-19, while 40.9% did not. Feeling susceptible was associated with studying a healthcare field or being personally affected by COVID-19. Individuals who stated they were not susceptible to COVID-19 declared mitigating factors such as new health behaviours to be a major driver in their perception. Conclusion: University students believe COVID-19 is a severe disease and have adopted new and increased health behaviours to mitigate the spread. While this study demonstrates differing health behaviour adoption rates based upon demographic factors, overall this research finds young adults supportive and accepting of government policy as a protective and susceptibility-mitigating measure.
Intersectionality, the theory named by Kimberlé Crenshaw, outlines how multiple ele-ments of an individual's social identity overlap to create and preserve societalinequalities and discrimination. Recently bioarchaeology's engagement with inter-sectionality has become increasingly explicit, as the field recognizes the lived experi-ence of multiple axes of an individual's identity. Evidence of trauma can remainobservable in an individual's skeleton for years, making it an ideal subject of study forintersectional analyses in bioarchaeology. Using contrasting case studies of two indi-viduals who died in hospitals and were unclaimed after death, we explore the theo-retical and methodological application of intersectionality to investigations ofaccidental and interpersonal trauma. Differences in identities and structural inequal-ities affect bone quality and health outcomes. As we demonstrate, a broken bone isthe intersecting result of biological, histomorphological, sociocultural, and behavioralfactors. This approach allows for a better acknowledgement of the inherent complex-ity of past lives, elevating and amplifying previously silenced voices. In this way, inter-sectionality in bioarchaeology demands social justice.
This research analyzes the role of the St. John's General Hospital in late nineteenth-century New... more This research analyzes the role of the St. John's General Hospital in late nineteenth-century Newfoundland and Labrador using extant admission and discharge records from 17 May 1886 to 30 December 1899. Most individuals were discharged from the hospital as "cured" or "convalescent." Trauma, musculoskeletal issues, and respiratory diseases were the most common reasons for admission, with males significantly more likely to seek care for trauma, sexually transmitted infections, and kidney/bladder issues. Female inpatients were significantly more likely to be admitted for tumours/cancers, anemia, digestive issues, and issues concerning the female anatomy. Notable were the short hospital stays for tuberculosis, indicating the General played an important role before the founding of the St. John's Sanatorium. A snapshot of late nineteenth-century morbidity reveals the complex risks facing citizens of St. John's and beyond who sought care at the General, which played a key role in the rapidly modernizing medical ecosystem.
The use of cannabis, narcotics, and other intoxicants is widespread within North American prisons... more The use of cannabis, narcotics, and other intoxicants is widespread within North American prisons, where do-it-yourself instruments are fashioned, used, traded, discarded, and/or confiscated. This cycle contributes to the long-term record of mate- rial culture and provides an opportunity to study innovations employed by incarcerated persons. An assemblage of improvised devices for consuming illicit drugs (pipes, syringe, and decoys) from Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP) in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Lab- rador, provides an opportunity to explore the culture of twentieth-century drug consump- tion at an exceptionally long-lived penal insti- tution. The collection of drug paraphernalia dates between 1971 and 1983 and represents a palimpsest of curated items confiscated by correctional officers. By drawing upon actor- network theory and a folkloric approach to the material assemblage, we situate this local assemblage within the larger carceral context wherein individuals “make do.” These objects speak to longstanding and widely shared technological traditions, an accomplished do- it-yourself ethic amongst those incarcerated, and the complex entanglement of criminality, carceral practices, and drug use.
Objective: To differentially diagnose and contextualize pathological lesions suggestive of rheuma... more Objective: To differentially diagnose and contextualize pathological lesions suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis. Materials: The skeletal remains of a 25–30-year-old female dated to c. 1750–1550 BCE from a Nubian Pan-Grave cemetery at the site of Sheik Mohamed, near Aswan, Egypt. Methods: The skeletal remains were examined macroscopically and a differential diagnosis was conducted following established protocols in the palaeopathological literature. Results: Symmetrical, bilateral, erosive periarticular lesions with smooth edges were observed in multiple joints (especially in the hands and feet). Conclusions: Differential diagnosis suggests this individual had rheumatoid arthritis. Significance: This case suggests the presence of rheumatoid arthritis in ancient Egypt, contributing to a more finely grained understanding of the antiquity and geographical distribution of the condition. Limitations: It was not possible to radiograph the skeletal remains. Suggestions for further research: Researchers are encouraged to re-examine any archaeological examples of erosive polyarthropathy using current palaeopathological protocols and to explore the manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis on the African continent.
Longitudinal mixed-methods research is necessary to understand the changing dynamics of pandemic ... more Longitudinal mixed-methods research is necessary to understand the changing dynamics of pandemic perceptions, the adoption of health behaviours, and use of media during a public health emergency. During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we used a mixedmethods approach to survey young adults attending a large Canadian public university. Six online convenience survey samples were collected (
Past and present institutions (e.g., state and public hospitals, assisted living facilities, publ... more Past and present institutions (e.g., state and public hospitals, assisted living facilities, public nursing homes) have struggled with structural issues tied to patient care and neglect, which often manifests in the form of fracture trauma, and may explain why institutionalized individuals are at higher risk for this injury. Six hundred individuals from the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection born between 1822-1877 were examined to investigate hip fracture prevalence. Analysis of associated records and documentary data, including death, morgue, and census records, revealed that 36.3% (n = 218) of these individuals died in institutions such as the St. Louis State Hospital, City Infirmary, and Missouri State Hospital No. 4. Of the institutionalized individuals, 4.3% had evidence of hip fracture, significantly higher than the non-institutionalized (2.3%). Records revealed that many hip fractures were suffered around the time of death in state hospitals and were preventable, resulting from structural issues tied to understaffing and underfunding. Forensic and clinical literature, as well as current news media, indicate that structural violence in the forms of underfunding and understaffing continues to manifest as hip fractures harming institutionalized individuals today. This paper demonstrates how an anthropological perspective using paleopathological analysis sheds light on the chronicity and time depth of this issue, with the aim of driving public policy to entrench the equitable care of institutionalized people as a human right.
Two large volcanic eruptions contributed to extreme cold temperatures during the early 1800s, one... more Two large volcanic eruptions contributed to extreme cold temperatures during the early 1800s, one of the coldest phases of the Little Ice Age. While impacts from the massive 1815 Tambora eruption in Indonesia are relatively well-documented, much less is known regarding an unidentified volcanic event around 1809. Here, we describe the spatial extent, duration, and magnitude of cold conditions following this eruption in northwestern North America using a high-resolution network of tree-ring records that capture past warm-season temperature variability. Extreme and persistent cold temperatures were centered around the Gulf of Alaska, the adjacent Wrangell-St Elias Mountains, and the southern Yukon, while cold anomalies diminished with distance from this core region. This distinct spatial pattern of temperature anomalies suggests that a weak Aleutian Low and conditions similar to a negative phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation could have contributed to regional cold extremes after the 1809 eruption.
Paleopathological engagement with questions of marginalization and social disenfranchisement reve... more Paleopathological engagement with questions of marginalization and social disenfranchisement reveals the multidisciplinary nature of paleopathological inquiry itself. This chapter highlights the demonstrated strengths of paleopathology in engaging with the concept of marginalization, while emphasizing potential future research directions. The challenges in defining marginalization and how the concept of structural violence has been operationalized in paleopathological research are explored. Examples of how marginalization may become embodied in the skeleton are explicated as well as the process by which individuals or skeletal collections may themselves become marginalized (i.e., anatomized or dissected remains). The chapter then examines the role of the researcher in paleopathological inquiry and closes with a call to action for paleopathologists to consider their role in social justice.
To evaluate pathological lesions suggesting the presence of rickets and to place the diagnosis in... more To evaluate pathological lesions suggesting the presence of rickets and to place the diagnosis into bioarchaeological and historical context. Materials: The remains of a 3-year ± 12-month-old child discovered during a rescue excavation in Heuvelton, New York. Methods: We examined the individual macroscopically and conducted a differential diagnosis following established protocols in the palaeopathological literature. Results: Bony change on the orbits, mandible, ribs, clavicles, left scapula, humerii, radii, ulnae, femora, tibiae, fibulae (e.g., porosity, diaphyseal thickening, flaring, bowing), and dental lesions were recorded. Conclusions: We demonstrate that the child likely presented with vitamin D deficiency rickets during crawling and as they learned to walk. Significance: This example offers an important contribution to the bioarchaeological literature, as few cases of rickets have been recorded in rural North America using updated diagnostic criteria and little is known of the health and lifeways of early settlers in 19th-century upstate New York. Limitations: It is not possible to ascertain the precise aetiology of this child's rachitic state and to compare this individual with others in the population. Suggestions for further research: Examination (and re-assessment) of other North and South American skeletal assemblages for signs of vitamin D deficiency rickets following current bioarchaeological standards.
Incorporating primary documents into undergraduate teaching and research can provide opportunitie... more Incorporating primary documents into undergraduate teaching and research can provide opportunities for students to develop research skills and explore voices from the past. In this piece, I highlight the experiences of five undergraduate students who experienced working with primary documents for the first time. Their natural inductive inquiry while exploring a set of 18 th-century hospital admission records will form the foundation of future research projects, while developing broader critical thinking skills. Biocultural investigations of historic health can be brought into contemporary classrooms through the use of primary documents.
“Spectacles of Degeneracy”: Unpacking Evidence for Historical Sex Work in St. John’s, Newfoundland, 2021
This research utilizes the recently digitized prison admission records from Her Majesty’s Peniten... more This research utilizes the recently digitized prison admission records from Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP) in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, from 1838-1911 to uncover the history of sex work in the port city. 72 arrests for sex work (i.e., prostitution, running brothels, houses of ill fame, and disorderly houses) were uncovered, representing at least 30 individuals. Complementing the HMP records are newspapers, Colonial Office documents, St. John’s General Hospital admission records, and the HMP surgeon’s weekly diary. These documents allowed for the tracing of sex worker’s lifeways, revealing that recidivists struggled with acquiring and maintaining stable housing which influenced further arrests for vagrancy and sex work. Stories of vulnerable and marginalized individuals must be amplified by research that prioritizes their inclusion.
The COVID-19 pandemic has engendered a critical moment in education. Questions of equity, engagem... more The COVID-19 pandemic has engendered a critical moment in education. Questions of equity, engagement, and interaction have been brought into sharper focus as students’ homes became their classrooms. There is a demonstrated need for interdisciplinary thinking, enabling students to work with the resources they have at hand, and helping learners orient themselves in place and time. Defining Moments Canada/Moments Déterminant Canada, using the interdisciplinary framework of curatorial thinking, encourages students to make sense of information, more effectively create a meaningful story, and build a stronger sense of social responsibility and awareness. This framework is operationalized using the S.A.S.S. pedagogy—Selecting, Archiving, Sense-Making, and Sharing—through which students find their personal way into a research question and demonstrate their learning while considering narrative intent, evidence limitations, and their own role as a historical actor. This integrative, critical,...
Purpose
To investigate university students’ willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it bec... more Purpose To investigate university students’ willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.
Method A multi-methods approach was used—online convenience sample surveys and semi-structured interviews—of young adults attending a large Canadian public university. Two survey samples were collected (June 20-July 28, 2020 and September 22-October 17, 2020). Semi-structured interviews were conducted following each survey, interviewing 20 students in each round.
Results In June 77.8% of surveyed students (n = 483) were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine; in September 79.6% were willing (n = 1269). Multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses found that increasing perception of the severity of COVID-19 predicted the likelihood that a respondent was willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine in both surveys. In the latter survey students who indicated they would be encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine if their doctor/pharmacist recommended it were 76 times more likely to be willing to get the vaccine than those who would not be encouraged by medical advice. Interviews revealed concerns about the speed of the vaccine roll out, safety, and efficacy.
Conclusions The majority of university students intend to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but there are nuanced concerns about efficacy and safety that must be taken into account by public health authorities as the vaccine becomes available to this group. Ensuring that family doctors, pharmacists, and other front-line healthcare workers have consistent and clear information regarding the benefits of vaccination will be critical to encouraging uptake among young adults.
Objectives: We surveyed university students to assess their demographic factors, perceived severi... more Objectives: We surveyed university students to assess their demographic factors, perceived severity, personal susceptibility, and the adoption of health behaviours in relation to COVID-19., capturing the first month of government-mandated social distancing in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We distributed the online survey to the University of Toronto student population, yielding a total convenience sample of 592 participants. We summarised the results and conducted Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests to explore relationships between demographic data and perceived severity of COVID-19. Pearson's Chi-square tests were used to explore the relationship between demographic variables and perceived susceptibility , with phi being used to explore the strength of the association. A value of p < 0.05 was used to determine significance. Results: The majority of participants (60.1%) judged COVID-19 to be Very Severe; there was a significant relationship between being female and the adoption of new health behaviours. 57.4% indicated they felt susceptible to COVID-19, while 40.9% did not. Feeling susceptible was associated with studying a healthcare field or being personally affected by COVID-19. Individuals who stated they were not susceptible to COVID-19 declared mitigating factors such as new health behaviours to be a major driver in their perception. Conclusion: University students believe COVID-19 is a severe disease and have adopted new and increased health behaviours to mitigate the spread. While this study demonstrates differing health behaviour adoption rates based upon demographic factors, overall this research finds young adults supportive and accepting of government policy as a protective and susceptibility-mitigating measure.
Intersectionality, the theory named by Kimberlé Crenshaw, outlines how multiple ele-ments of an individual's social identity overlap to create and preserve societalinequalities and discrimination. Recently bioarchaeology's engagement with inter-sectionality has become increasingly explicit, as the field recognizes the lived experi-ence of multiple axes of an individual's identity. Evidence of trauma can remainobservable in an individual's skeleton for years, making it an ideal subject of study forintersectional analyses in bioarchaeology. Using contrasting case studies of two indi-viduals who died in hospitals and were unclaimed after death, we explore the theo-retical and methodological application of intersectionality to investigations ofaccidental and interpersonal trauma. Differences in identities and structural inequal-ities affect bone quality and health outcomes. As we demonstrate, a broken bone isthe intersecting result of biological, histomorphological, sociocultural, and behavioralfactors. This approach allows for a better acknowledgement of the inherent complex-ity of past lives, elevating and amplifying previously silenced voices. In this way, inter-sectionality in bioarchaeology demands social justice.
This research analyzes the role of the St. John's General Hospital in late nineteenth-century New... more This research analyzes the role of the St. John's General Hospital in late nineteenth-century Newfoundland and Labrador using extant admission and discharge records from 17 May 1886 to 30 December 1899. Most individuals were discharged from the hospital as "cured" or "convalescent." Trauma, musculoskeletal issues, and respiratory diseases were the most common reasons for admission, with males significantly more likely to seek care for trauma, sexually transmitted infections, and kidney/bladder issues. Female inpatients were significantly more likely to be admitted for tumours/cancers, anemia, digestive issues, and issues concerning the female anatomy. Notable were the short hospital stays for tuberculosis, indicating the General played an important role before the founding of the St. John's Sanatorium. A snapshot of late nineteenth-century morbidity reveals the complex risks facing citizens of St. John's and beyond who sought care at the General, which played a key role in the rapidly modernizing medical ecosystem.
This research aims to determine the relative health status of lower- and middle-class individuals... more This research aims to determine the relative health status of lower- and middle-class individuals from 19th century London, UK and the sensitivity of various markers of health. Two hundred individuals – 100 from Chelsea Old Church, a middle-class site, and 100 from St. Bride’s lower churchyard, a working-class cemetery – were selected and studied. Both collections are curated at the Museum of London. Relative levels of health were studied by determining the frequency of individuals and teeth affected by carious lesions and linear enamel hypoplasia, in addition to stature. No significant differences were found between sex or status groups in terms of dental caries, but lower class males had significantly higher levels of enamel hypoplasia than any other group. These data suggest that lower class males were subjected to periods of stress or malnutrition in childhood, but maintained an immune system healthy enough to survive. Males of both populations were significantly taller than females, but stature did not appear to be correlated with dental health. These data are similar to data from other studies of post-medieval English sites. The overall dental health of both status groups was found to be poor and diet was the most likely causative factor. While carious lesions and stature are deemed too insensitive to reveal subtle differences in health in this study, the significant differences in the frequency of linear enamel hypoplasia deserve further attention.
Alberta is currently in the midst of a serious syphilis outbreak. New cases of syphilis have been... more Alberta is currently in the midst of a serious syphilis outbreak. New cases of syphilis have been on the rise since 2000 and in response to the outbreak Alberta Health Services unveiled their online awareness campaign, Plenty of Syph, in 2011. This campaign disseminates a provocative and satirical message concerning individuals with syphilis in an attempt to raise awareness. Though the campaign uses new media to reach its audience, and ostensibly represents a new type of public awareness campaign, its broader themes are influenced and informed by historical public health campaigns. The Plenty of Syph campaign is analyzed for its portrayal and entrenchment of blame and stigma; the role of guilt, fear, and humour in the message; its characterization of women; and the recognition of the appropriate target population. This study aims to identify and critique the successes and failures of the campaign while unpacking its social and medical messages. Ultimately, does Plenty of Syph deflate or entrench stereotypes about syphilis? What is the manifest message of the campaign? The efficacy of this campaign has yet to be determined, but the social and medical messages it espouses will influence its reception.
Perimortem trauma is difficult to identify unequivocally and has been a challenging topic for phy... more Perimortem trauma is difficult to identify unequivocally and has been a challenging topic for physical anthropologists to interpret starting with the earliest studies of skeletal trauma. Use of the biocultural perspective in conjunction with the inclusion of forensic and clinical technology and methodology increasingly gives bioarchaeologists greater means to develop a comprehensive picture of trauma in the past. Further, incorporating historical and cultural information into trauma research through invoking the biocultural approach allows for deeper understandings of individuals’ lived experience to be interpreted. It is also worth noting how bioarchaeology employs ethics along with respect for the individuals being studied, making this field a prime contributor to studies of perimortem trauma in past communities. New types of technology, such as 3D scanning microscopy, provide a way forward for studies of perimortem trauma in bioarchaeology through the production of digital images with precise morphological information. Bioarchaeology, by incorporating historical and cultural context with data derived from contemporary technology, is uniquely suited to contribute to investigations of perimortem trauma in past communities.
The bicentennial of the War of 1812 provides an opportunity to celebrate, commemorate, and discus... more The bicentennial of the War of 1812 provides an opportunity to celebrate, commemorate, and discuss a wide variety of historical issues. Though the heroes of the war are well known, the lives of individual soldiers are less frequently discussed. The bioarchaeological analysis of individuals from the Battle of Stoney Creek, 1813, allows for an individualized view of the war – the history is literally written upon the bones. Bioarchaeology is the investigation of archaeological human remains, integrating biological data with that derived from archaeology to investigate how people in the past adapted to changing environmental, economic, and social conditions. Experimental archaeology undertaken at McMaster University has illuminated the individual experience of war through recreations of gunshot, bayonet, and sword trauma. Evidence of gunshot trauma discovered in individuals’ os coxae (hip bones) raised questions concerning possible friendly fire or individuals conceivably being shot in the back. This controversial finding raises questions concerning the integration of textual and oral accounts of past violence with the skeletal evidence. Such approaches allow far more information to be derived from analysis of even fragmentary and partial human remains, but the significant amounts of information generated requires careful consideration of the best way to convey complex and often non-categorical information. The Battle of Stoney Creek is locally appreciated and celebrated, but outside the immediate Hamilton area knowledge of this pivotal battle of the War of 1812 is very limited. There is no museum space available in the Hamilton region in which it is possible to display information relating to the event. The Battlefield House Museum House and Park includes the building that was formerly the Gage family farm; this rural family home was built around 1796, and is set up to represent family life in the early 19th century. The museum’s main aim is to illustrate living history, giving visitors the opportunity to experience life at the time of the battle. Every year a Military Re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek is held in June, in Battlefield Park, but the facility is not able to house a permanent exhibition. Ultimately, it must be considered which audiences can and will be exposed to the bioarchaeological research. How can archaeologists best work to disseminate their research beyond the boundaries of academe? Digital media may be a network through which public engagement may be expanded. We seek to explore the possibilities of digital media elements, specifically specialized engagement software and dissemination of information through virtual world environments to engage the public in their history and heritage compared to the more traditional methods currently employed.
This paper discusses fracture prevalence at the Royal London Hospital during the late eighteenth ... more This paper discusses fracture prevalence at the Royal London Hospital during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries in London, UK as a vehicle to examine both the complementary possibilities of using disparate lines of data to study the past, and the limitations and biases of these datasets. The hospital, founded in 1740, was one of London’s charitable hospitals, which cared for the working poor. Admission and discharge records exist for 1760, 1791, 1792, and the latter half of 1805. Of a total of 4174 entries, 439 individuals entered the hospital due to fracture. Data patterns concerning individuals’ age, sex, fractured body area, length of stay in hospital, and result of stay were analyzed to reveal fracture prevalence in relation to sex, age, and seasonality. Of the skeletal remains of 123 individuals buried at the Royal London Hospital in the early nineteenth century (curated by the Museum of London), 63 were determined to have suffered one or more fractures. The two datasets contribute to an understanding of medical treatment at the Royal London Hospital; however, comparison of fractures by body area (dictated by the diagnostic labels used in the archival records) revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) in the fracture prevalence between the archival and skeletal results for the leg, rib, foot, hand, nose, spine, wrist, ankle, and hip areas. This study highlights the contradictions that may be encountered whilst incorporating multiple lines of evidence in the study of past lives.
Hip fractures, occurring in the femoral neck and trochanteric region, have high incidence rates i... more Hip fractures, occurring in the femoral neck and trochanteric region, have high incidence rates in the modern Western world and are associated with high morbidity and mortality and considerable expenditure. In modern populations these fractures have been documented as increasing exponentially with age, being associated with a specific demographic group (older adults) and are frequently linked to an underlying pathology (e.g., osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiency). The rising prevalence with age may mean that hip fractures were rare occurrences in some past populations, with higher mortality in young to middle adulthood than found in developed countries today. Yet, in population samples that do demonstrate demographic longevity, there is potential to recognize age-related pathological conditions. This research involved the observation of 1597 adult (18+ years) skeletons from eight urban post-medieval sites from England dating from the 18th and 19th centuries. This adult sample included 834 males and 652 females as well as 11 of undetermined sex. Of this sample, 15 (0.94%) had fractures in the femoral neck or inter-trochanteric area: nine males, four females, and two individuals of undetermined sex. There was an age-related trend with more individuals aged 50+ years with fractures than in other age categories. Underlying osteoporosis was potentially a complicating factor in five individuals. Fractures occurring close to the time of death and healed fractures were observed, indicating that the risk of mortality following this trauma was not consistent across the sample. This paper will survey the possible causes of the fractures and consider the significance of the results for the wider understanding of both biological and social impacts of the fractures in this skeletal sample.
Bioarchaeological study of historical groups may be aided by the use of written records. Fracture... more Bioarchaeological study of historical groups may be aided by the use of written records. Fracture prevalence at the Royal London Hospital in London, UK during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries was assessed using skeletal and archival data. These two datasets contribute to an understanding of medical treatment at the Royal London Hospital; however, uniting these disparate sources of data revealed contradictory fracture prevalence results. Admission and discharge records for the hospital are extant for 1760, 1791, 1792, and the latter half of 1805. Of a total of 3707 adult hospital admissions, 370 were diagnostically labeled as fracture. The skeletal remains of 123 adult individuals buried at the Royal London Hospital during the early nineteenth century (curated by the Museum of London) were analyzed and 63 individuals were determined to have suffered one or more fractures. A comparison of fracture by body area (dictated by the diagnostic labels used in the archival admission records) revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) in the fracture prevalence between the archival and skeletal results for the leg, rib, foot, hand, nose, spine, wrist, ankle, and hip areas. These results highlight the contradictions that may be encountered when incorporating multiple lines of evidence; disparate datasets may provide differing pictures of what constitutes a ‘normal’ or ‘expected’ rate of fracture in a particular group. In addition, this paper raises biocultural questions concerning individuals’ lived trauma experience and choice to seek medical treatment for certain types of fractures.
In 1995 a rescue excavation on the Thames Foreshore in London uncovered a unique water-logged bur... more In 1995 a rescue excavation on the Thames Foreshore in London uncovered a unique water-logged burial of an adult female, whose body had been laid on the surface of the foreshore between two sheets of bark, resting on a bed of reeds covered by a thin textile, with moss laid on her pelvis and knees. The resting-place was marked by stake- and post-holes and was probably covered by a mound.
We employed standard osteological methods to record the remains, and examined each bone using a digital microscope to confirm the presence of trauma and to establish whether the injuries were peri- or ante-mortem in origin. Our analysis found that the female had sustained blunt force injuries to her back some weeks before her death, as there are multiple healing fractures present to the scapulae, and the posterior aspects of the ribs and vertebral column. Her manner of death included peri-mortem blunt force fractures to the same locations, and repeated blows to the head, including one large circular lesion to the left parietal bone.
Anglo-Saxon law codes describe capital punishment by decapitation, hanging, drowning, stoning and burning. In addition, criminals were denied burial in consecrated ground. The type and distribution of injuries seen on this individual, combined with burial in a liminal location, are consistent with Anglo-Saxon execution by stoning, a punishment often meted out for adultery or witch-craft.
The History and Bioethics of Medical Education: "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught", 2021
The History and Bioethics of Medical Education: "You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught" continues the... more The History and Bioethics of Medical Education: "You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught" continues the Routledge Advances in the History of Bioethics series by exploring approaches to the teaching of bioethics from disparate disciplines, geographies, and contexts. Van Rensselaer Potter coined the phrase "Global Bioethics" to define human relationships with their contexts. This and subsequent volumes return to Potter’s founding vision from historical perspectives and asks, how did we get here from then? The patient-practitioner relationship has come to the fore in bioethics; this volume asks: is there an ideal bioethical curriculum? Are the students being carefully taught and, in turn, are they carefully learning? This volume will appeal to those working in both clinical medicine and the medical humanities, as vibrant connections are drawn between various ways of knowing.
Beyond the Bones: Engaging with Disparate Datasets fills an emerging niche, providing a forum in ... more Beyond the Bones: Engaging with Disparate Datasets fills an emerging niche, providing a forum in which anthropology students and scholars wrestle with the fundamental possibilities and limitations in uniting multiple lines of evidence. This text demonstrates the importance of a multi-faceted approach to research design and data collection and provides concrete examples of research questions, designs, and results that are produced through the integration of different methods, providing guidance for future researchers and fostering the creation of constructive discourse. Contributions from various experts in the field highlight lines of evidence as varied as skeletal remains, cemetery reports, hospital records, digital radiographs, ancient DNA, clinical datasets, linguistic models, and nutritional interviews, including discussions of the problems, limitations, and benefits of drawing upon and comparing datasets, while illuminating the many ways in which anthropologists are using multiple data sources to unravel larger conceptual questions in anthropology.
Bioarchaeology of Marginalized People amplifies the voices of marginalized or powerless individua... more Bioarchaeology of Marginalized People amplifies the voices of marginalized or powerless individuals. Following previous work done by physical anthropologists on the biology of poverty, this volume focuses on the voices of past actors who would normally be subsumed within a cohort or whose stories represent those of the minority. The physical effects of marginalization – manifest as skeletal markers of stress and disease – are read in their historical contexts to better understand vulnerability and the social determinants of health in the past. Bioarchaeological, archaeological, and historical datasets are integrated to explore the varied ways in which individuals may be marginalized both during and after their lifespan. By focusing on previously excluded voices this volume enriches our understanding of the lived experience of individuals in the past.
This volume queries the diverse meanings of marginalization, from physical or social peripheralization, to identity loss within a majority population, to a collective forgetting that excludes specific groups. Contributors to the volume highlight the histories of individuals who did not record their own stories, including two disparate Ancient Egyptian women and individuals from a high-status Indigenous cemetery in British Columbia. Additional chapters examine the marginalized individuals whose bodies comprise the Robert J. Terry anatomical collection and investigate inequalities in health status in individuals from Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Modern clinical population health research is examined through a historical lens, bringing a new perspective to the critical public health interventions occurring today. Together, these papers highlight the role that biological anthropologists play both in contributing to and challenging the marginalization of past populations.
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Methods: The skeletal remains were examined macroscopically and a differential diagnosis was conducted following established protocols in the palaeopathological literature.
Results: Symmetrical, bilateral, erosive periarticular lesions with smooth edges were observed in multiple joints (especially in the hands and feet).
Conclusions: Differential diagnosis suggests this individual had rheumatoid arthritis.
Significance: This case suggests the presence of rheumatoid arthritis in ancient Egypt, contributing to a more finely grained understanding of the antiquity and geographical distribution of the condition.
Limitations: It was not possible to radiograph the skeletal remains.
Suggestions for further research: Researchers are encouraged to re-examine any archaeological examples of erosive polyarthropathy using current palaeopathological protocols and to explore the manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis on the African continent.
To investigate university students’ willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.
Method
A multi-methods approach was used—online convenience sample surveys and semi-structured interviews—of young adults attending a large Canadian public university. Two survey samples were collected (June 20-July 28, 2020 and September 22-October 17, 2020). Semi-structured interviews were conducted following each survey, interviewing 20 students in each round.
Results
In June 77.8% of surveyed students (n = 483) were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine; in September 79.6% were willing (n = 1269). Multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses found that increasing perception of the severity of COVID-19 predicted the likelihood that a respondent was willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine in both surveys. In the latter survey students who indicated they would be encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine if their doctor/pharmacist recommended it were 76 times more likely to be willing to get the vaccine than those who would not be encouraged by medical advice. Interviews revealed concerns about the speed of the vaccine roll out, safety, and efficacy.
Conclusions
The majority of university students intend to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but there are nuanced concerns about efficacy and safety that must be taken into account by public health authorities as the vaccine becomes available to this group. Ensuring that family doctors, pharmacists, and other front-line healthcare workers have consistent and clear information regarding the benefits of vaccination will be critical to encouraging uptake among young adults.
Intersectionality, the theory named by Kimberlé Crenshaw, outlines how multiple ele-ments of an individual's social identity overlap to create and preserve societalinequalities and discrimination. Recently bioarchaeology's engagement with inter-sectionality has become increasingly explicit, as the field recognizes the lived experi-ence of multiple axes of an individual's identity. Evidence of trauma can remainobservable in an individual's skeleton for years, making it an ideal subject of study forintersectional analyses in bioarchaeology. Using contrasting case studies of two indi-viduals who died in hospitals and were unclaimed after death, we explore the theo-retical and methodological application of intersectionality to investigations ofaccidental and interpersonal trauma. Differences in identities and structural inequal-ities affect bone quality and health outcomes. As we demonstrate, a broken bone isthe intersecting result of biological, histomorphological, sociocultural, and behavioralfactors. This approach allows for a better acknowledgement of the inherent complex-ity of past lives, elevating and amplifying previously silenced voices. In this way, inter-sectionality in bioarchaeology demands social justice.
Methods: The skeletal remains were examined macroscopically and a differential diagnosis was conducted following established protocols in the palaeopathological literature.
Results: Symmetrical, bilateral, erosive periarticular lesions with smooth edges were observed in multiple joints (especially in the hands and feet).
Conclusions: Differential diagnosis suggests this individual had rheumatoid arthritis.
Significance: This case suggests the presence of rheumatoid arthritis in ancient Egypt, contributing to a more finely grained understanding of the antiquity and geographical distribution of the condition.
Limitations: It was not possible to radiograph the skeletal remains.
Suggestions for further research: Researchers are encouraged to re-examine any archaeological examples of erosive polyarthropathy using current palaeopathological protocols and to explore the manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis on the African continent.
To investigate university students’ willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them.
Method
A multi-methods approach was used—online convenience sample surveys and semi-structured interviews—of young adults attending a large Canadian public university. Two survey samples were collected (June 20-July 28, 2020 and September 22-October 17, 2020). Semi-structured interviews were conducted following each survey, interviewing 20 students in each round.
Results
In June 77.8% of surveyed students (n = 483) were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine; in September 79.6% were willing (n = 1269). Multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses found that increasing perception of the severity of COVID-19 predicted the likelihood that a respondent was willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine in both surveys. In the latter survey students who indicated they would be encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine if their doctor/pharmacist recommended it were 76 times more likely to be willing to get the vaccine than those who would not be encouraged by medical advice. Interviews revealed concerns about the speed of the vaccine roll out, safety, and efficacy.
Conclusions
The majority of university students intend to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but there are nuanced concerns about efficacy and safety that must be taken into account by public health authorities as the vaccine becomes available to this group. Ensuring that family doctors, pharmacists, and other front-line healthcare workers have consistent and clear information regarding the benefits of vaccination will be critical to encouraging uptake among young adults.
Intersectionality, the theory named by Kimberlé Crenshaw, outlines how multiple ele-ments of an individual's social identity overlap to create and preserve societalinequalities and discrimination. Recently bioarchaeology's engagement with inter-sectionality has become increasingly explicit, as the field recognizes the lived experi-ence of multiple axes of an individual's identity. Evidence of trauma can remainobservable in an individual's skeleton for years, making it an ideal subject of study forintersectional analyses in bioarchaeology. Using contrasting case studies of two indi-viduals who died in hospitals and were unclaimed after death, we explore the theo-retical and methodological application of intersectionality to investigations ofaccidental and interpersonal trauma. Differences in identities and structural inequal-ities affect bone quality and health outcomes. As we demonstrate, a broken bone isthe intersecting result of biological, histomorphological, sociocultural, and behavioralfactors. This approach allows for a better acknowledgement of the inherent complex-ity of past lives, elevating and amplifying previously silenced voices. In this way, inter-sectionality in bioarchaeology demands social justice.
The Battle of Stoney Creek is locally appreciated and celebrated, but outside the immediate Hamilton area knowledge of this pivotal battle of the War of 1812 is very limited. There is no museum space available in the Hamilton region in which it is possible to display information relating to the event. The Battlefield House Museum House and Park includes the building that was formerly the Gage family farm; this rural family home was built around 1796, and is set up to represent family life in the early 19th century. The museum’s main aim is to illustrate living history, giving visitors the opportunity to experience life at the time of the battle. Every year a Military Re-enactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek is held in June, in Battlefield Park, but the facility is not able to house a permanent exhibition. Ultimately, it must be considered which audiences can and will be exposed to the bioarchaeological research. How can archaeologists best work to disseminate their research beyond the boundaries of academe? Digital media may be a network through which public engagement may be expanded. We seek to explore the possibilities of digital media elements, specifically specialized engagement software and dissemination of information through virtual world environments to engage the public in their history and heritage compared to the more traditional methods currently employed.
We employed standard osteological methods to record the remains, and examined each bone using a digital microscope to confirm the presence of trauma and to establish whether the injuries were peri- or ante-mortem in origin. Our analysis found that the female had sustained blunt force injuries to her back some weeks before her death, as there are multiple healing fractures present to the scapulae, and the posterior aspects of the ribs and vertebral column. Her manner of death included peri-mortem blunt force fractures to the same locations, and repeated blows to the head, including one large circular lesion to the left parietal bone.
Anglo-Saxon law codes describe capital punishment by decapitation, hanging, drowning, stoning and burning. In addition, criminals were denied burial in consecrated ground. The type and distribution of injuries seen on this individual, combined with burial in a liminal location, are consistent with Anglo-Saxon execution by stoning, a punishment often meted out for adultery or witch-craft.
This volume queries the diverse meanings of marginalization, from physical or social peripheralization, to identity loss within a majority population, to a collective forgetting that excludes specific groups. Contributors to the volume highlight the histories of individuals who did not record their own stories, including two disparate Ancient Egyptian women and individuals from a high-status Indigenous cemetery in British Columbia. Additional chapters examine the marginalized individuals whose bodies comprise the Robert J. Terry anatomical collection and investigate inequalities in health status in individuals from Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Modern clinical population health research is examined through a historical lens, bringing a new perspective to the critical public health interventions occurring today. Together, these papers highlight the role that biological anthropologists play both in contributing to and challenging the marginalization of past populations.