Generalized dermatitis in the natural mummy of the Roman Catholic nun Marie-Léonie Martin (France, 1863–1941)

Objective

To document skin lesions on a mummified individual from the XIX century and to diagnose the pathology based historical documentation and physical examination.

Materials

Marie Leonie Martin (1863–1941) was a Roman Catholic nun. Her naturally mummified body is currently preserved in the Monastery of the Visitation in Caen (France). On the occasion of her beatification, the body was exhumed, studied and restored for conservation purposes.

Methods

The mummy was analyzed histologically and with CT imaging.

Results

The examination of the body noted areas of skin discoloration of reddish color; the paleopathological investigations revealed the presence of skin lesions (pustules) distributed throughout the body, with the exception of the face, abdomen and palms. The histological analyses of the pustules showed the presence of a central duct for the leakage of exudate, hyperkeratosis of the stratum corneum and a proliferation of cells in the spinous layer (acanthosis) of the epidermis.

Conclusions

The red discoloration of the skin is typical of extensive erythema.

Significance

Our understanding of skin conditions in the past is extremely limited. This study provides the first paleopathological case of diagnosed unclassified endogenous eczema and provides insight into the antiquity and effects of the disease.

Limitations

It was not possible to carry out a genetic analysis due to DNA contamination of the mummy.