Objective

Real industrialization was late to arrive in South Africa and was associated with the development of mining in its northern regions. This paper explores the development and spread of infectious diseases (particularly tuberculosis), against the backdrop of metabolic disease.

Materials

Published data regarding skeletons from various mining sites and historical information are collated, including information from the early accessions into the Raymond A. Dart Collection.

Methods

While findings from several sites (e.g., Gladstone at Kimberley, Koffiefontein, Witwatersrand Deep Mine and Lancaster Mine) have been described individually, they have not been assessed collectively. This paper provides a broad overview by collating information from these sites, in comparison with a rural, pre-industrialized population.

Results

Malnutrition, including scurvy, was common in most mining groups. Tuberculosis was rare in earlier mining groups, and the first possible skeletal cases only occurred after the establishment of closed housing compounds. From there it spread rapidly across the subcontinent.

Conclusions

Nutritional insufficiencies / metabolic disease and high death rates, due to trauma and infectious diseases, were common. Tuberculosis in South Africa is closely associated with development of the mining industry.

Significance

This research highlights the development of tuberculosis in South Africa and its association with the mining industry. The role of migrant labor and the associated housing practices is elucidated.

Limitations

Sample sizes are limited, but the findings of this study are supported by documentary evidence.

Future research

Sample sizes should be increased, and the association between closed compound living and the development of disease further explored.

中文翻译：

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早期工业化南非的传染病和营养缺乏

客观的

真正的工业化在南非出现较晚，并且与北部地区采矿业的发展有关。本文探讨了在代谢疾病背景下传染病（尤其是肺结核）的发展和传播。

材料

整理了有关来自各个采矿地点的骨骼和历史信息的已发布数据，包括来自早期加入 Raymond A. Dart 收藏的信息。

方法

虽然已经单独描述了来自几个地点（例如，金伯利的 Gladstone、Koffiefontein、Witwatersrand 深矿和 Lancaster 矿）的发现，但尚未对它们进行集体评估。本文通过整理来自这些地点的信息，与农村、工业化前的人口进行比较，提供了一个广泛的概述。

结果

包括坏血病在内的营养不良在大多数采矿群体中都很常见。结核病在早期的采矿群体中很少见，第一例可能的骨骼病例仅发生在建立封闭式住宅区之后。从那里它迅速传播到次大陆。

结论

由于创伤和传染病引起的营养不足/代谢疾病和高死亡率很常见。南非的结核病与采矿业的发展密切相关。

意义

这项研究强调了南非结核病的发展及其与采矿业的关系。阐明了移民劳工的作用和相关的住房实践。

限制

样本量有限，但本研究的结果有文献证据支持。

未来研究

应增加样本量，并进一步探索封闭式复合生活与疾病发展之间的关联。