Geoscience Canada

Volume 19, Number 2 (1992)
Articles

PALEOSCENE 13. Paleopathology of Vertebrates: Insights to Lifestyle and Health in the Geological Record

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  • Bruce M. Rothschild,
  • Darren Tanke
Bruce M. Rothschild
Arthritis Center of Northeast Ohio and Northeastern Ohio Universities, College of Medicine, Youngstown, Ohio USA.
Darren Tanke
oyal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, Drumheller, Alberta.

Published 1992-06-06

How to Cite

Rothschild, B. M., & Tanke, D. (1992). PALEOSCENE 13. Paleopathology of Vertebrates: Insights to Lifestyle and Health in the Geological Record. Geoscience Canada, 19(2). Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/GC/article/view/3763
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Abstract

Study of ancient disease (paleopathology) is a powerful tool for understanding lifestyle and population dynamics, as well as the history of disease in antiquity. The major premise of paleopathology is that diagnoses of conditions of living animals can be extrapolated to fossils. Recognition of persistence of structural integrity, and even of cellular components, allows use of new radiologic, immunologic, DNA and holistic analysis techniques to effectively test diagnostic impressions. Collaboration by specialists instructural relationships (e.g., paleontologists) and students of disease (e.g., healthcare providers) provides significant insights to behaviour of animals, long since extinct.
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