[The former place of execution of the Lucerne herd in Emmen (1562-1798)(1562-1798) and slaughter yard belonging to it (1562-1866): pathologico-anatomic findings in excavated animal bones].

This research examines the results of an archaeological excavation of a historic execution and slaughter site of the Lucerne herd in Emmen where bone remains of more than 700 animals were discovered. Specifically, the researchers looked at over 100 samples where there were visible signs of disease or injury in the bones.

Archaeological Excavations

• The research primarily focused on an archaeological site which was once a slaughter yard in Emmen, located in the Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland.
• During the excavation, skeletal remains and individual bones of over 700 animals were discovered, indicating the scale and significance of the site.

Examination of Bone Samples

• A total of 110 bone samples were found to have lesions, which warranted further examination. These samples were studied using macroscopy and radiology to understand the various conditions that these animals might have suffered.
• Out of these examined samples, the vast majority were from horses (100 samples), followed by dogs (9 samples), and a single sample from a cow.

Lesion Classification

• The lesions mentioned in the research were categorized based on their morphological appearances and etiopathogenesis, which essentially refers to the causative factors and the development process of the disease.
• The types of lesions identified were grouped into tooth irregularities, degenerative changes in bones and joints due to overload and aging, trauma and infection, and other types of lesions.

Degenerative Changes

• A clear majority of the pathological bone samples (over 80 percent) showed degenerative changes. The changes identified include specific conditions liked spondylosis and spondylarthrosis, types of joint diseases, mainly in horses.
• Arthropathy conditions, particularly spavin and ringbone, were detected, mostly in horses. Spavin refers to a condition in horses where a hock joint (analogous to the human ankle) gets affected, and ringbone is a type of bone growth in the foot of a horse.
• Instances of ossifying periostitis, an inflammation in the lining of the bones due to mechanical stress, were also discovered. Particularly, it was seen in the phalanx I and the dorsal cortex of the third metacarpal bone.