Title: Indoor pollution and respiratory diseases in Ancient Rome
Abstract: The close anatomical relation between the parietal pleura and the periosteum of the internal face of the ribs can result in a subperiosteal reaction during pleural inflammations. In a paleopathological examination of ancient human skeletons from archaeological excavations, this fact provided new and unexpected data about the frequency of pleurisy in ancient time. Unfortunately, the amount of new bone formation on the visceral surfaces of the central thoracic ribs is limited, and can be very difficult to detect on ancient bones that have been underground for many centuries, where diagenesis can also produce pseudopathologies.1Roberts C Lucy D Manchester K Inflammatory lesions of ribs: an analysis of the Terry Collection.Am J Phys Anthropol. 1994; 95: 169-182Crossref PubMed Scopus (120) Google ScholarThe excellent condition of the skeletons buried in the volcanic eruptions of Vesuvius, found on the ancient beach of Herculaneum, who were buried under about 30 m of thin mud in 79 AD, allowed us to observe even minimal rib lesions.2Capasso L Herculaneum victims of the volcanic eruptions of Vesuvius in 79 AD.Lancet. 2000; 356: 1344-1346Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (22) Google Scholar We found traces of newly formed subperiosteal bone in the visceral surfaces of the ribs in about 11.6% of the individuals examined (figure). Prevalence did not differ by sex or age and we saw also some affected children; exposure to the risks of pleurisy was, therefore, independent of sex or age. These types of lesions are undoubtedly related to pleural inflammation. In Ancient Rome, indoor environments had a high degree of particulate pollution. Animal and vegetable oils were burned in terracotta lamps, which are invariably found blackened by carbon deposits, to provide artificial light. Cooking techniques required the indoor combustion of various vegetable materials. In addition, the Ancient Romans warmed their homes by burning wood, other vegetal materials, or animal dung. All these materials can easily produce indoor pollution with high quantities of carbon and other dangerous particles and toxic gases.Histological assessment of the lungs of ancient human mummies has shown that anthracosis was a regular disorder in many ancient societies, including the Egyptian, Peruvian, and Aleutian. The only human mummy recovered from ancient Rome (the so-called Grotta Rossa mummy) shows severe anthracosis despite the young age of the person at the time of death.3Ascensi A Bianco P Nicoletti R et al.The roman mummy of Grottarossa.in: Spindler K Wilfing H Rastbichler-Zisserning E Zurnedden D Nothdurfter H Human mummies. Spinger, Wien1996: 205-218Crossref Google ScholarThus, indoor pollution produced chronic reduction of the function of the ciliated respiratory epithelium with an increase in the incidence of inflammatory disease of the pulmonary tree. Therefore, the idea that air pollution and its effects is an exclusively modern phenomenon is probably incorrect. The close anatomical relation between the parietal pleura and the periosteum of the internal face of the ribs can result in a subperiosteal reaction during pleural inflammations. In a paleopathological examination of ancient human skeletons from archaeological excavations, this fact provided new and unexpected data about the frequency of pleurisy in ancient time. Unfortunately, the amount of new bone formation on the visceral surfaces of the central thoracic ribs is limited, and can be very difficult to detect on ancient bones that have been underground for many centuries, where diagenesis can also produce pseudopathologies.1Roberts C Lucy D Manchester K Inflammatory lesions of ribs: an analysis of the Terry Collection.Am J Phys Anthropol. 1994; 95: 169-182Crossref PubMed Scopus (120) Google Scholar The excellent condition of the skeletons buried in the volcanic eruptions of Vesuvius, found on the ancient beach of Herculaneum, who were buried under about 30 m of thin mud in 79 AD, allowed us to observe even minimal rib lesions.2Capasso L Herculaneum victims of the volcanic eruptions of Vesuvius in 79 AD.Lancet. 2000; 356: 1344-1346Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (22) Google Scholar We found traces of newly formed subperiosteal bone in the visceral surfaces of the ribs in about 11.6% of the individuals examined (figure). Prevalence did not differ by sex or age and we saw also some affected children; exposure to the risks of pleurisy was, therefore, independent of sex or age. These types of lesions are undoubtedly related to pleural inflammation. In Ancient Rome, indoor environments had a high degree of particulate pollution. Animal and vegetable oils were burned in terracotta lamps, which are invariably found blackened by carbon deposits, to provide artificial light. Cooking techniques required the indoor combustion of various vegetable materials. In addition, the Ancient Romans warmed their homes by burning wood, other vegetal materials, or animal dung. All these materials can easily produce indoor pollution with high quantities of carbon and other dangerous particles and toxic gases. Histological assessment of the lungs of ancient human mummies has shown that anthracosis was a regular disorder in many ancient societies, including the Egyptian, Peruvian, and Aleutian. The only human mummy recovered from ancient Rome (the so-called Grotta Rossa mummy) shows severe anthracosis despite the young age of the person at the time of death.3Ascensi A Bianco P Nicoletti R et al.The roman mummy of Grottarossa.in: Spindler K Wilfing H Rastbichler-Zisserning E Zurnedden D Nothdurfter H Human mummies. Spinger, Wien1996: 205-218Crossref Google Scholar Thus, indoor pollution produced chronic reduction of the function of the ciliated respiratory epithelium with an increase in the incidence of inflammatory disease of the pulmonary tree. Therefore, the idea that air pollution and its effects is an exclusively modern phenomenon is probably incorrect.
Publication Year: 2000
Publication Date: 2000-11-01
Language: en
Type: letter
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 107
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