Trauma and Amputations in 19th Century Miners from Kimberley, South Africa

摘要

Trauma is the result of violent, accidental or therapeutic events that cause physical orpsychological injury. The frequencies and types of trauma within a population can giveimportant information regarding their lifestyle as well as the quantity and quality of medicalcare available to them. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of trauma in theGladstone sample population with regards to the presence of interpersonal violence, ahazardous working environment, strenuous working requirements and the availability ofmedical care. The individuals studied here were diamond miners from Kimberley, datingto the late 19th century. A total of 107 well-preserved skeletons were excavated fromunmarked graves after accidental discovery. This sample included 86 males, 15 femalesand 6 individuals of unknown sex. The majority of individuals (71%) were between 19 and45 years of age. The reains were most likely those of migrant mine workers of low socio-economic status who had passed away at the local hospitals. All bones were visuallyassessed for macroscopic indications of traumatic bone alterations and compared tostandard palaeopathological texts and photographs. A total of 27% (n = 28) of the individualsin the sample presented with well-healed, healing or perimortem fractures. Fractures to theskull encompassed 49% (n =20) of all the fractures that were observed. A total of six (6%)amputations were noted. Spondylolysis was observed in 7% (n = 7) of the individuals withinthe sample and longstanding subluxation was noted in two individuals. The high incidences ofcranial fractures within this population are suggestive of high levels of interpersonal violence,while long bone fractures, spondylolysis and evidence of longstanding subluxations areindicative of the strenuous work requirements and the high-risk environment to which theseindividuals were exposed. When considering the presence of well-reduced fractures andhealed amputations, it seems that adequate medical care was available to at least somemembers of this community.