150 • Juan R. Munizaga 



young women observed. In other words, human skeletal re- 

 mains of these populations in fragile balances are likely to 

 appear rather free of pathology, since any disease may cause 

 the death of individuals long before such disease has time 

 enough to attack the bone system. 



Conclusions 



On the basis of the bones examined, this population shows a 

 high health level, characterized by a low prevalence of 

 chronic infections, absence of signs of violence, and a low 

 rate of accidents. However, the following reactive patterns of 

 bone may be distinguished: reinforcement and deterioration 

 of joint surfaces, loss of teeth and periapical processes, al- 

 terations of the endocranial return circulation, osteomas of 

 the ear and the obeliac region, and increased thickness in 

 bones. There is no doubt about the validity of the first two. 

 The others are presented as hypotheses. 



However, the apparent high level of health observed in this 

 population seems to be the result of the elimination of people 

 who had difficulties in adjusting to the environment. This 

 could happen even to people affected by minor and transitory 

 disability, such as pregnancy. Perhaps those factors may ex- 

 plain the limited size of these populations observed in the arid 

 northern coast of Chile by travelers visiting them in the past. 



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