The mysterious remains of a family from the 18th century are found in a crate.
Discovered within crates hidden inside a church located in the town of Vác, Hungary, and extensively examined in 2015, the ancient skeletal remains dating back 200 years have the potential to revolutionize scientific understanding.
Back in 1994, a team of researchers made their way into an old Dominican church situated in Vác, Hungary. Their expedition led them to uncover enigmatic crates tucked away within the hallowed walls. To their astonishment, the contents of these crates consisted of remarkably well-preserved remains belonging to 265 individuals.
These were not ordinary bones; instead, they were astonishing mummies. Even more intriguingly, these mummies exhibited signs of a disease that had long baffled those who encountered it in deceased individuals.
The disease in question was the notorious “TB bacillus,” which was only identified by the researcher Robert Koch in 1882. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium responsible for the disease, primarily affects the lungs, leading to persistent coughing, catarrh, and fever. However, the people of the 18th century were unaware of its cause.
Shockingly, a third of the individuals found among the mummies had succumbed to tuberculosis, their deaths shrouded in mystery due to the lack of understanding at the time. Surprisingly, it was revealed that 90% of the mummies had been afflicted by tuberculosis, even though the patients themselves had been unaware of their illness.
Given the exceptional preservation state of the remains, scientists seized a remarkable opportunity to make a profound discovery in the realm of science. It now became possible to gain deeper insights into the evolution of the disease over the centuries.
Furthermore, among the mummies were members of an entire family ravaged by tuberculosis during the 18th century. This tragic realization came to light upon examining the contents of the boxes. The family in question was the Hausmanns. Among the mummies were the remains of Terézia Hausmann, the eldest sister who passed away at the age of 28 on December 27, 1797. Additionally, there were the mummified remains of the mother, whose name remains unknown, and the younger sister, Barbara Hausmann, whom Terézia had taken care of.
The discovery of these mummies in the Hungarian town of Vác not only provides invaluable insights into the historical impact of tuberculosis but also offers a unique opportunity to shed light on the progression and characteristics of the disease throughout centuries.
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