Donoghue2020_Research history and ancient DNA from Dr Granville’s Egyptian Mummy_AeP VI
Helen D. Donoghue
Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity, Royal Free Campus, University College London (UCL), London, UK
Research history and ancient DNA from Dr Granville’s Egyptian Mummy
in: Hedvig Győry (ed.), Aegyptus et Pannonia VI, Acta Symposii anno 2019, Health and Life in Ancient Egypt. Mummies in Focus. Proceedings of the Conference held 27-29th August 2019, Budapest.
Budapest: The Ancient Egyptian Committee of the Hungarian-Egyptian Friendship Society (MEBT ÓEB) 2020, 21-26.
ISBN 978-615-01-0361-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71067/AePVI-2020-21-26
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Abstract:
"Dr Granvilless Mummy" was described to the Royal Society of London in 1821 after a scientific autopsy that had extended over several weeks and involved the destruction of most of the human remains. The mummy was of a woman aged 50 yvears or so, from the necropolis of Thebes and dated to about 600 BC. She had borne children and several organs were still sítu. Dr Granville concluded the cause of death was a tumour of the ovary, but subseguent histological investigations indicated that this was a benign cystadenoma. However, histology of the lungs revealed a potentially fatal pulmonary exudate and subseguvuent examination revealed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA in lung tissue and gall bladder samples. This was demonstrated using nested PCR of the IS6110 locus. In addition, lungs and femurs were positive for specific M. tuberculosis complex cell-wall mycolic acids. Therefore, it is probable that tuberculosis was the principal cause of death.
Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity, Royal Free Campus, University College London (UCL), London, UK
Research history and ancient DNA from Dr Granville’s Egyptian Mummy
in: Hedvig Győry (ed.), Aegyptus et Pannonia VI, Acta Symposii anno 2019, Health and Life in Ancient Egypt. Mummies in Focus. Proceedings of the Conference held 27-29th August 2019, Budapest.
Budapest: The Ancient Egyptian Committee of the Hungarian-Egyptian Friendship Society (MEBT ÓEB) 2020, 21-26.
ISBN 978-615-01-0361-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.71067/AePVI-2020-21-26
Download
Abstract:
"Dr Granvilless Mummy" was described to the Royal Society of London in 1821 after a scientific autopsy that had extended over several weeks and involved the destruction of most of the human remains. The mummy was of a woman aged 50 yvears or so, from the necropolis of Thebes and dated to about 600 BC. She had borne children and several organs were still sítu. Dr Granville concluded the cause of death was a tumour of the ovary, but subseguent histological investigations indicated that this was a benign cystadenoma. However, histology of the lungs revealed a potentially fatal pulmonary exudate and subseguvuent examination revealed the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA in lung tissue and gall bladder samples. This was demonstrated using nested PCR of the IS6110 locus. In addition, lungs and femurs were positive for specific M. tuberculosis complex cell-wall mycolic acids. Therefore, it is probable that tuberculosis was the principal cause of death.