The Importance of Historical Medical Records Review in the Interpretation of Dry Bone Lesions on Identified Skeletal Remains: A Case Study of a Polymorbid Male (1895-1940)

Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2022 Jun 1;43(2):166-173. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000716. Epub 2021 Sep 2.

Abstract

The examination of documented skeletal remains provides an exceptional opportunity for biohistorical research to answer questions about an individual's life and death. Research in this area also makes it possible to assess the reliability of historical records from the period of interest, which is often the subject of discussion, especially in cases of historically known individuals. The remains of K.B.C. (1895-1940), a prominent local landowner and politician, were exhumed because of the repair of a family tomb in Jíloviště, Czech Republic. The aim of this study was to analyze pathological changes in his bones and to interpret these by comparing them with the results of a historical medical records review of private family and public archives regarding his diseases and death, thus verifying their credibility. Morphological and X-ray examinations of the bones revealed several serious pathological changes, whose presence fully corresponded to the studied documents. This showed the records' reliability, and it was thus possible to accurately interpret the lesions found. The results demonstrated the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in the analysis of such cases, including the assistance of the living descendants of the studied individuals, if possible.

MeSH terms

  • Body Remains*
  • Bone and Bones*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medical Records
  • Reproducibility of Results