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Elephantiasis and a curved pew-end in Suffolk, England
322 TRANSA~ONS OF THE ROYAL SCCIETYOF TROPICALMEDICINE AND HYGIENE(1990) 84, CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence Elephantiasis and a curved pew-end in Suffolk, England
The Mappa Mundi, referred to in a letter in the Transactions (1989: vol. 83, 574), is not the only reference to a tropical condition in our mediaeval archives. In a 14th century church in Dennington in rural Suffolk, England, there is an oak carving on a
Fire.
‘a destructive hardness of their legs, who when they want to protect themselves from the sun lie on the ground and create shade by the magnitude of their feet’. Both sources appear to be aware of such people living in Ethiopia, referred to in Augustine’s City of God (Book 16, 8; 5th century AD) and in Pliny’s Natural History (Book 7, 23; 1st century BC). It is clear that as long ago as the Middle Ages in Britain it was known that there were people in Ethiopia with a pathological condition of large feet.
The carved pew-end in Demington church, showing the ‘Sciapod’ referred to in Dr Price’s letter. (Photo by D. Plant.)
pew-end of a man lying on his back with large feet held above him (Figure). This is, described in the church guide as being a ‘Sciapod’, and it explains the word as derived from the greek skia (shadow) and pod (of the foot). This is similar to the illustration in the 13th century Mappa Mundi which carries the Latin explanation that these are individuals who suffer from
[The church of Dennington is on the All01 road, 27 miles (43 km) east of Stowmarket.] E. W. Price
6 Pightle Way Reepham, Norwich Norfolk, NRIO 4QW, UK
[Readers will be sorry to know that Dr Price died on 31 January 1990.1
12 OctoberI989
Correspondence Elephantiasis and a curved pew-end in Suffolk, England
The Mappa Mundi, referred to in a letter in the Transactions (1989: vol. 83, 574), is not the only reference to a tropical condition in our mediaeval archives. In a 14th century church in Dennington in rural Suffolk, England, there is an oak carving on a
Fire.
‘a destructive hardness of their legs, who when they want to protect themselves from the sun lie on the ground and create shade by the magnitude of their feet’. Both sources appear to be aware of such people living in Ethiopia, referred to in Augustine’s City of God (Book 16, 8; 5th century AD) and in Pliny’s Natural History (Book 7, 23; 1st century BC). It is clear that as long ago as the Middle Ages in Britain it was known that there were people in Ethiopia with a pathological condition of large feet.
The carved pew-end in Demington church, showing the ‘Sciapod’ referred to in Dr Price’s letter. (Photo by D. Plant.)
pew-end of a man lying on his back with large feet held above him (Figure). This is, described in the church guide as being a ‘Sciapod’, and it explains the word as derived from the greek skia (shadow) and pod (of the foot). This is similar to the illustration in the 13th century Mappa Mundi which carries the Latin explanation that these are individuals who suffer from
[The church of Dennington is on the All01 road, 27 miles (43 km) east of Stowmarket.] E. W. Price
6 Pightle Way Reepham, Norwich Norfolk, NRIO 4QW, UK
[Readers will be sorry to know that Dr Price died on 31 January 1990.1
12 OctoberI989