Medieval teeth open a new perspective on leprosy care and toxic medicine

A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, led by Dr. Elena Fiorin and her colleagues investigated the potential use of mercury-based treatments for leprosy during the late medieval period. Typically, such examinations are conducted on bone; this study is the first to analyze mercury concentrations in dental calculus and finds that individuals buried in leprosaria cemeteries had elevated mercury levels, likely from medical treatment.