BULLETIN OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 

 Vol. 32, pp. 321-326 September i, 1921 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE PALEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



STATUS OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF MESOZOIC PATHOLOGY ^ 



BY EOY L. MOODIE 



(Presented hefore the Paleontological Society December 29, 1920) 



contp:nts 



Page 



Introduction 321 



Definition of paleopatliology 321 



Mesozoic pathology 322 



Presence of bacteria 323 



Nature of evidence 323 



Pathology of reptiles 325 



Inteoduction 



The subject of paleopathology is replete with pitfalls. When one re- 

 calls that the field covers all evidences of disease or injury from the 

 Proterozoic to the civilization of the continents by the white races, the 

 reasons for the pitfalls will be evident. I have, however, been emboldened 

 by the example of others to widen my range of thought and have em- 

 barked on this difficult mission. 



Definition of Paleopathology 



The difficulties arise on every hand. First : Paleopathology is "dry- 

 bone pathology," a subject held in some contempt by medical men, and 

 in consequence the literature on the subject is widely scattered. One thus 

 needs to build up a knowledge of modern human and animal pathology 

 relating to the skeleton. Second : The determination of a disease and its 

 pathology in modern medicine is by microscopic as well as by gross ex- 

 amination. Hence a knowledge of the histological nature of fossil bone 

 was necessary. Such a review has been made and its results will be re- 

 corded. Third : One must venture out of his chosen realm of thought, 

 and is likely to regard a geode as a tumor; a post-fossilization fracture 



'Manuscript received by tlie Secretary of tlie Society Marcli :!. 1021. 



(321) 



