Advanced Pediatric Airway Module (APAM)

When archaeologists discovered six ancient graves in northwestern Poland, they were surprised to see the bodies had been buried with sickles or large stones around their necks and abdomens. Lesley Gregoricka from the University of South Alabama and his colleagues studied the site, trying to understand why these people had been buried in such a fashion. The bodies were placed within a normal graveyard that served the area.

It turns out the placement of sickles and stones was a traditional method to prevent the dead from 'rising again', much like vampires. The area of the burial site is known for apotropaic funerary rites—a standard practice during 17th and 18th centuries, meant to prevent evil from occurring. The original theory was that the deceased must have been outsiders and thought to have been vampires. Once they died, the community didn’t want to take any risks with them coming back from the grave.

Scientists tested 60 permanent molars from the 'Drawsko vampires' and compared the amount of strontium in the enamel with the levels of those found in the bones of local animals. The enamel on the remains proved to be the opposite of what they had thought: As strontium isotope ratios are specific to a location, they discovered that the 'vampires' were in fact local to the area.

Looking at history of the area during the time of the deaths led to another theory: the 'vampires' had died from cholera. Due to the sudden symptoms and expiration, it’s hypothesized that the community didn’t understand how they died and simply wanted to take precautions against the supernatural. This idea isn't yet proved, but it does make for a fascinating story thanks to the help from dental forensics.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this, or any case study post in Incisor should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece. DOCS Education accepts no liability whatsoever for any damages resulting from any direct or indirect recipient's use of or failure to use any of the information contained herein. DOCS Education would be happy to answer any questions or concerns mailed to us at 106 Lenora Street, Seattle, WA 98121. Please print a copy of this posting and include it with your question or request.

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The information contained in this, or any case study post in Incisor, should never be considered a proper replacement for necessary training and/or education regarding adult oral conscious sedation. Regulations regarding sedation vary by state. This is an educational and informational piece. DOCS Education accepts no liability whatsoever for any damages resulting from any direct or indirect recipient's use of or failure to use any of the information contained herein. DOCS Education would be happy to answer any questions or concerns mailed to us at 3250 Airport Way S, Suite 701 | Seattle, WA 98134. Please print a copy of this posting and include it with your question or request.
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