University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Evidence for Antemortem and Perimortem Trauma among Single Individuals Recovered from the 2013 Milwaukee County Institution Poor Farm Cemetery Excavations David M. Strange University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Symposium: People that no one had use for, had nothing to give to, no place to offer: The Milwaukee County Institution Grounds Poor Farm Cemetery 80th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, San Francisco, 15-19 April 2015.

Context of Milwaukee County Institutional Grounds The portion of the cemetery excavated in 2013 was in active use 1882-1925 Roughly 10,000 immigrants flood the American workforce during the burgeoning Industrial Age seeking new opportunities Poverty, Sickness, and Death were characteristics acquired AFTER coming to the United States

Antemortem versus Perimortem Fractures Gunshot fracture of the right parietal without evidence for healing Fracture of the left zygomatic with evidence for healing Photo Credit: Sean P. Dougherty 2011

Single Adults Recovered in Single Burial Contexts   Indeterminate Age Young Adult Middle Adult Old Adult Indeterminate Sex 16 4 14 7 Male 8 57 31 Probable Male 13 41 18 Female 3 1 12 6 Probable Female Age and Sex Profile of Entire Sample

Frequency of Antemortem Fractures   Number of Individuals Number of Individuals with Antemortem Injuries Percent of Age/Sex Category with Antemortem Fractures Percent of Total Sex Category with Antemortem Fractures Young Adult Male 21 3 14% 2% Middle Adult Male 98 30 31% 15% Old Adult Male 49 18 37% 9% Adult Male 6 20% 3% Young Adult Female 5 0% Middle Adult Female 24 4 17% 7% Old Adult Female 10 1 10% Adult Female 16 25% Indeterminate Young Adult Indeterminate Middle Adult 14 2 5% Indeterminate Old Adult 7 29% Indeterminate Adult 19% Total 294 73 -

Distribution of Antemortem Fractures Element/ Age Category Male Young Adult Male Middle Adult Male Old Adult Indeterminate Adult Male Scapula   3 Cranium 1 4 Ulna 2 Femur Radius Ribs 10 9 Clavicle Tibia Hand 6 Foot Innominate Humerus Fibula Patella Male Age Category Cranium Femur Hand Ribs Foot Female Young Adult   Female Middle Adult 1 2 Female Old Adult Indeterminate Adult Female Female

Frequency of Perimortem Fractures   Number of Individuals Number of Individuals with Perimortem Fractures Percent of Age/Sex Category with Perimortem Fractures Percent of Total Sex Category with Perimortem Fractures Young Adult Male 21 4 19% 2% Middle Adult Male 98 7 7% 4% Old Adult Male 49 2 1% Adult Male 30 Young Adult Female 5 0% Middle Adult Female 24 1 Old Adult Female 10 Adult Female 16 6% Indeterminate Young Adult 25% Indeterminate Middle Adult 14 Indeterminate Old Adult 14% Indeterminate Adult Total 294 19 -

Distribution of Perimortem Fractures Males Element/ Age Category Male Young Adult Male Middle Adult Male Old Adult Indeterminate Adult Male Cranium 2 1   Femur 3 Radius Ribs Tibia Humerus Fibula Females Age Category/Element Female Young Adult Female Middle Adult Female Old Adult Indeterminate Adult Female Cranium   1 Scapula Humerus Ulna Radius Tibia Fibula Femur

Trends and Future Research Results are similar to the analysis of the 1991-92 excavations without the inclusion of postmortem trauma Distribution of fractures prevalent on the postcranial skeleton High frequencies of fractures among the male population Chi-square tests of statistical significance regarding interpopulation and intrapopulation comparisons Tabulation of the number of fractures Classification of fractures into blunt, sharp, and projectile trauma types

As well as the entire MCIG field and lab crews Acknowledgements My involvement in the MCIG Cemetery Project and this subsequent research would not be possible without the support and encouragement of the following individuals: Dr. Patricia B. Richards Catherine R. Jones Emily Mueller Epstein Eric B. Burant As well as the entire MCIG field and lab crews Thank you.