Caring for Bodies or Simply Saving Souls: The Emergence of Institutional Care in Spanish Colonial America

Wesp, Julie K.

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-39901-0_13

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Therefore, it is possible that B19V might have been responsible for some of the numerous cases attributed to measles that were described in early 16 th century Mexico (Acuña-Soto et al, 2004;Mandujano-Sánchez et al, 1982;Wesp, 2017), in particular historical records that document the treatment of an outbreak of measles at the HSJN in 1531 CE (Meza, 2013). Our study, however, does not reject the notorious role that measles played during the Colonial outbreaks (as it is strongly supported by historical records), but provides evidence of the presence of B19V during the Colonial period in Mexico City to facilitate discussions about the paradigmatic etiology of the supposed measles epidemics reported in historical records (Malvido & Viesca, 1982;Mandujano-Sánchez et al, 1982;Somolinos d'Árdois, 1982).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indigenous populations were drastically affected by these mysterious epidemics, generically referred to as Cocoliztli ("pest" in Nahuatl), followed by Africans and to a lesser extent European people (Acuña-Soto et al, 2004;Malvido & Viesca, 1982;Somolinos d'Árdois, 1982). Accounts of the 1576 Cocoliztli epidemic were described in autopsy reports of victims treated at the "Hospital Real de San José de los Naturales" (HSJN) (Malvido & Viesca, 1982;Wesp, 2017), the first hospital in Mexico dedicated specifically to treat the Indigenous population (Malvido & Viesca, 1982;Wesp, 2017) (Figure 1a-b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These include the skeletal remains of over 600 individuals recovered from mass burials associated with the hospital's architectural remnants (Figure 1b). Many of these remains were retrieved from burial contexts suggestive of an urgent and simultaneous disposal of the bodies, as in the case of an epidemic (Meza, 2013;Wesp, 2017). Prior bioarcheological research has shown that the remains of a number of individuals in the HSJN collection displayed dental modifications and/or morphological indicators typical of African ancestry (Meza, 2013), consistent with historical and archeological research that documents the presence of a large number of both free and enslaved Africans and their descendants in Colonial Mexico (Aguirre-Beltrán, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ancient viral genomes reveal introduction of human pathogenic viruses into Mexico during the transatlantic slave trade

Guzmán-Solís

Villa-Islas

Bravo-Lopez

et al. 2021

eLife

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After the European colonization of the Americas there was a dramatic population collapse of the Indigenous inhabitants caused in part by the introduction of new pathogens. Although there is much speculation on the etiology of the Colonial epidemics, direct evidence for the presence of specific viruses during the Colonial era is lacking. To uncover the diversity of viral pathogens during this period, we designed an enrichment assay targeting ancient DNA (aDNA) from viruses of clinical importance and applied it to DNA extracts from individuals found in a Colonial hospital and a Colonial chapel (16th c. - 18th c.) where records suggest victims of epidemics were buried during important outbreaks in Mexico City. This allowed us to reconstruct three ancient human parvovirus B19 genomes, and one ancient human hepatitis B virus genome from distinct individuals. The viral genomes are similar to African strains, consistent with the inferred morphological and genetic African ancestry of the hosts as well as with the isotopic analysis of the human remains, suggesting an origin on the African continent. This study provides direct molecular evidence of ancient viruses being transported to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade and their subsequent introduction to New Spain. Altogether, our observations enrich the discussion about the etiology of infectious diseases during the Colonial period in Mexico.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Ancient viral genomes reveal introduction of human pathogenic viruses into Mexico during the transatlantic slave trade

Guzmán-Solís

Villa-Islas

Bravo-Lopez

et al. 2021

eLife

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“…The placement of the remaining samples does not seem to follow a clear temporal or geographical trend; however, individual HSJN-194 is basal to the Modern/ European/Colonial clade and is closely related to individual C0-09. This is noteworthy since morphological analyses of HSJN-194 [40] and mitochondrial ancestry of both hosts royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb Phil. Trans.…”

Section: Phylogenetic Analysis Of Ancient Tannerella Forsythia Genomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paleogenomic insights into the red complex bacteria Tannerella forsythia in Pre-Hispanic and Colonial individuals from Mexico

Bravo-Lopez

Villa-Islas

Arriaga

et al. 2020

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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The ‘red complex’ is an aggregate of three oral bacteria ( Tannerella forsythia , Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticola ) responsible for severe clinical manifestation of periodontal disease. Here, we report the first direct evidence of ancient T. forsythia DNA in dentin and dental calculus samples from archaeological skeletal remains that span from the Pre-Hispanic to the Colonial period in Mexico. We recovered twelve partial ancient T. forsythia genomes and observed a distinct phylogenetic placement of samples, suggesting that the strains present in Pre-Hispanic individuals likely arrived with the first human migrations to the Americas and that new strains were introduced with the arrival of European and African populations in the sixteenth century. We also identified instances of the differential presence of genes between periods in the T. forsythia ancient genomes, with certain genes present in Pre-Hispanic individuals and absent in Colonial individuals, and vice versa . This study highlights the potential for studying ancient T. forsythia genomes to unveil past social interactions through analysis of disease transmission. Our results illustrate the long-standing relationship between this oral pathogen and its human host, while also unveiling key evidence to understand its evolutionary history in Pre-Hispanic and Colonial Mexico. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Insights into health and disease from ancient biomolecules'.

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“…Due to the intangibility of emotions such as compassion (Dettwyler 1991), some bioarchaeologists shy away from the more ephemeral aspects of the approach. However, regardless of emotional consideration, the bioarchaeology of care has proven its utility in a wide variety of social contexts that range from hunter-gatherer groups (Tilley and Oxenham 2011;Tilley 2015) to recent historical institutions (Tremblay Critcher 2017;Wesp 2017). Previous examples of the bioarchaeology of care in Peru include publications that address trepanation (Jolly and Kurin 2017), crippling Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (Palma Málaga and Makowski 2019), and chronic post-injury osteomyelitis (Sutherland 2019) as conditions that affected individuals and their caretakers in late pre-Inca cultures of central and south-central parts of the country.…”

Section: From Ancient Ground Break New Amputeesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two (Missing) Left Feet

Phillips

Cruz

Martín

et al. 2021

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Understanding pre-Hispanic Andean medical practices through skeletal evidence of surgery has been the focus of a number of bioarchaeological investigations in recent years. Amputation is an especially interesting topic of research due to the variety of social contexts in which it might have occurred. Interpretations for amputation found on the north coast of Peru have included therapeutic intervention, punitive measures, and ritualistic dismemberment. Here, we present two new cases of successful left foot amputation in young adult females excavated from Huaca Las Balsas (Late Intermediate Period, A.D. 1100–1470) and Huaca Las Abejas (Late Horizon, A.D. 1470–1535) at the ancient religious and administrative center of Túcume. Chronologically, they are the latest cases of pre-Hispanic amputation published to date. Contextual evidence supports a therapeutic motivation for the procedure, as individualized burial treatment and placement within a cemetery group of social elites is not consistent with punitive or ritualistic action. Modification of the malleoli, extensive bone proliferation covering the talar articulations, and asymmetrical cortical bone thickness of the tibiae and fibulae (revealed radiographically) suggest the return of some functional mobility using the affected limb after healing. This long-term recovery is evidence of access to quality medical care and accommodation of functional impairment within the amputees’ communities. The presented research uses the bioarchaeology of care to explore the lived experiences of these amputees and their social identities, making an important contribution to the anthropology of disability across cultures and time periods. Comprender las prácticas médicas andinas prehispánicas a través de evidencia esquelética de cirugía ha sido el foco de una serie de investigaciones bioarqueológicas en los últimos años. La amputación es un tema de investigación especialmente interesante debido a la variedad de contextos sociales en los que podría haber ocurrido. Las interpretaciones para la amputación que se encuentran en la costa norte del Perú han incluido la intervención terapéutica, las medidas punitivas y el desmembramiento ritual. Aquí, presentamos dos nuevos casos de amputación exitosa del pie izquierdo en hembras adultas jóvenes excavadas desde Huaca Las Balsas (PeríodoIntermedio Tardío, A.D. 1100–1470) y Huaca Las Abejas (Horizonte Tardío, D.C. 1470–1535) en el antiguo centro religioso y administrativo de Túcume. Cronológicamente, son los últimos casos de amputación prehispánica publicados hasta la fecha. La evidencia contextual apoya una motivación terapéutica para el procedimiento, ya que el tratamiento y la colocación individualizados del entierro dentro de un grupo cementerio de élites sociales no es consistente con la acción punitiva o ritualista. La modificación de los maléolos, la extensa proliferación ósea que cubre las articulaciones talares y el grosor óseo cortical asimétrico de las tibias y los peronés (revelados radiográficamente) sugieren el regreso de cierta movilidad funcional utilizando la extremidad afectada despuésde la curación. Esta recuperación a largo plazo es evidencia del acceso a atención médica de calidad y alojamiento de deterioro funcional dentro de las comunidades de amputados. La investigación presentada utiliza la “bioarqueología de la caridad” para explorar las experiencias vividas de estos amputados y sus identidades sociales, haciendo una contribución importante a la antropología de la discapacidad a través de las culturas y períodos de tiempo.

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Caring for Bodies or Simply Saving Souls: The Emergence of Institutional Care in Spanish Colonial America

Cited by 10 publications

References 19 publications

Ancient viral genomes reveal introduction of human pathogenic viruses into Mexico during the transatlantic slave trade

Ancient viral genomes reveal introduction of human pathogenic viruses into Mexico during the transatlantic slave trade

Paleogenomic insights into the red complex bacteria Tannerella forsythia in Pre-Hispanic and Colonial individuals from Mexico

Two (Missing) Left Feet

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