Table 3

Frequency of rheumatic disease in Australian Aborigines

OsteoarthritisVertebral osteophytosisGoutAnkylosing spondylitisPyogenic arthritisRheumatoid arthritisSystemic lupus erythematosusLow back painRheumatic feverBone infection
Paleopathology+++++/−+++
Ethnographic/historic++++
Contempory++++++/−+++++
  • ++ = common, + = described, − = not described, blank = no data.