Even Rich Kids Had Rickets

[Marianne Kiendl]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2338959/The-Medicis-...

[P.A.]

A very interesting article. I knew a boy when I was growing up that had a pretty severe case of rickets. His legs were extremely bowed. Not knowing what caused diseases was common in the days of the Medicis. Poor children probably faired better than the rich in some ways.

[Zochitl]

That was an interesting article.

The diagnosis of a metabolic disease linked to vitamin D deficiency would appear to be unexpected for children brought up at the court of a Renaissance elite class family like the Medici of Florence. Analysis of the historical and social background is particularly helpful to understand the causes of the onset of the disease in this aristocratic group. Documentary sources, supported by ¹³C and ¹⁵N bone collagen analysis, attest that weaning of these children took place when they were around 2 years old. With a prolonged breast-feeding and a delay in introducing solid food in the diet, vitamin D deficiency is expected to rise considerably, in particular if the other main risk factor, namely inadequate sunlight exposition, is associated with this human milk-based diet. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.