ScienceDaily (Sep. 2, 2010) -- A chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago. The research, led by Emory anthropologist George Armelagos and medicinal chemist Mark Nelson of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. "We tend to associate drugs that cure diseases with modern medicine," Armelagos says. "But it's becoming increasingly clear that this prehistoric population was using empirical evidence to develop therapeutic agents. I have no doubt that they knew what they were doing." Armelagos is a bioarcheologist and an expert on prehistoric and ancient diets. In 1980, he discovered what appeared to be traces of tetracycline in human bones from Nubia dated between A.D. 350 and 550, populations that left no written record. The ancient Nubian kingdom was located in present-day Sudan, south of ancient Egypt. .... Nelson, a leading expert in tetracycline and other antibiotics, became interested in the project after hearing Armelagos speak at a conference. "I told him to send me some mummy bones, because I had the tools and the expertise to extract the tetracycline," Nelson says....The results stunned Nelson. "The bones of these ancient people were saturated with tetracycline, showing that they had been taking it for a long time," he says. "I'm convinced that they had the science of fermentation under control and were purposely producing the drug."
The research, led by Emory anthropologist George Armelagos and medicinal chemist Mark Nelson of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
"We tend to associate drugs that cure diseases with modern medicine," Armelagos says. "But it's becoming increasingly clear that this prehistoric population was using empirical evidence to develop therapeutic agents. I have no doubt that they knew what they were doing."
Armelagos is a bioarcheologist and an expert on prehistoric and ancient diets. In 1980, he discovered what appeared to be traces of tetracycline in human bones from Nubia dated between A.D. 350 and 550, populations that left no written record. The ancient Nubian kingdom was located in present-day Sudan, south of ancient Egypt.
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Nelson, a leading expert in tetracycline and other antibiotics, became interested in the project after hearing Armelagos speak at a conference. "I told him to send me some mummy bones, because I had the tools and the expertise to extract the tetracycline," Nelson says....The results stunned Nelson. "The bones of these ancient people were saturated with tetracycline, showing that they had been taking it for a long time," he says. "I'm convinced that they had the science of fermentation under control and were purposely producing the drug."
"I'm convinced that they had the science of fermentation under control and were purposely producing the drug."
Fermentation under control ... fine. Purposely producing the drug (?)... something they had NO idea existed, in fact, they had no IDEA what EXISTED meant ...? Dear Mr. Scientist: Stick to your lab, do your analysis work, and then STFU. In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
they drunk beer and wine because it was safer than water, which would have all sorts of disease and parasites in it. Also boiling, which is a feature of beer making, further disinfects it. Alcohol gets rid of bad stuff too. So all in all, beer and iwne were amazing god-granted liqids.
They thought it was miraculous that a liquid could change like that, to them it was literally a work of divine grace. It was the breath of god, which they would notice because yeast give off CO2 which is heavy and feel dense, so the brewing room would have a funny atmosphere, breathing too much of god's divine breath was fatal so that was a proof of sorts.
That's why getting drunk was such a feature of religious ceremonies, gods of beer and wine.
So,as Twank points out, the chances of them doing this deliberately are somewhere close ot zero. keep to the Fen Causeway
