A medical bandage in an Italian Renaissance mummy (Naples, XVI century).
A dressing was observed on the left arm of the mummy of Mary of Aragon (1503-1568), under her precious Renaissance clothes. It consisted of a true medical bandage, covering a large syphilitic cutaneous ulcer, with a sulphur-embedded wad still in situ. The bandage has a very peculiar shape, rather different from the usual dressings described in the contemporary medical texts: a central rectangular pad, used as compressing appliance, is provided with a sort of pocket containing ivy leaves. The function of the dressing was not only to cover and protect the ulcer, but also to apply a plant drug. This is the first case of ancient medical bandage studied directly on a mummified body.
Giuffra
Valentina
V
Department of Oncology, Transplants and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Division of Paleopathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Marinozzi
Silvia
S
Vultaggio
Claudia
C
Fornaciari
Gino
G
D001458:Bandages / Q000266:history*; D005197:Famous Persons; D005260:Female; D049669:History, 16th Century; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009106:Mummies / Q000266:history*; D013591:Syphilis, Cutaneous / Q000266:history*