Medieval Skeletons Reveal Mercury Use for Leprosy

Why this is here: Dental calculus from individuals in the leprosarium chapel contained the highest mercury levels, indicating possible differences in access to medical care based on social standing.

Researchers in the United Kingdom and France analyzed dental plaque from medieval skeletons to investigate mercury’s use as a leprosy treatment. The team examined remains from four late-medieval cemeteries, including two leprosaria in Peterborough, England and St.

Thomas d’Aizier, France. They compared mercury levels in individuals believed to have had leprosy with those from healthy individuals and soil samples to rule out environmental contamination.

Results showed significantly higher mercury concentrations in skeletons from the leprosaria. The study confirmed the mercury was likely administered during life, not after burial. Individuals buried in the chapel within the leprosarium exhibited the highest mercury levels, suggesting treatment access varied by social status.

The team successfully demonstrated dental calculus as a useful tool for studying ancient medical treatments. However, the study acknowledges the difficulty of definitively diagnosing leprosy in skeletal remains, which could affect the accuracy of the findings. Further research will refine this method and expand its application to other historical medical practices.