Elongated styloid process of an autopsied skull from the Cemetery of Santa Maria Maggiore in Vercelli, 18-19 century (Piedmont, northern Italy).

We discuss the coexistence of a postmortem cut and a pathological alteration, recorded on a skeleton belonging to an adult man that was discovered during the archaeological investigations of the cemetery of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Vercelli (northern Italy, 18-19 century). The skull presents an oblique cleft, which from the top of the frontal bone bends towards the occipital, and the left styloid process is elongated compared to normal values (48 mm). The elongated styloid process is due to the ossification of the styloid ligament which has several possible causes.

A possible case of orbital osteomyelitis from the medieval cemetery of Sant' Agostino in Caravate (Varese, Northern Italy).

Objectives: This paper aims to present one of the first osteoarchaeological cases of orbital osteomyelitis and provides the best diagnostic criteria to identify its pathophysiological changes.

Materials: A well-preserved skeleton of an adult male from the medieval cemetery of Sant' Agostino in Caravate, Italy.

Methods: Macroscopic, tomographic, and histological analyses were performed using standard methods.

A possible case of "kissing" osteochondroma and multiple enchondromas in a medieval skeleton from the church of Sant' Agostino in Caravate (Northern Italy).

This work presents the neoplastic bone changes found in the lower limb of a medieval skeleton from the church of Sant' Agostino in Caravate (Northern Italy). After briefly assessing the individual's overall pathological picture, a differential diagnosis for the neoplastic changes is now proposed. These changes were analysed macroscopically and radiographically and subsequently evaluated considering the paleopathological and clinical literature available.

Overcoming doubt in vaccinations. The end justifies the means?

Controversies and skepticism about vaccination have existed as long as vaccination itself. Today and yesterday, the authority of religious leaders has a fundamental role to convince members of their congregations to accept or reject vaccination. Our contribution tells of the stratagem used by the Italian doctor Luigi Sacco to make the faithful lean towards the vaccination using their faith as a means.