Left and right foot showing effects of leprosy, from a skeleton from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

The right and left feet show the devastating effects of leprosy on the bones of the body. This erosion and damage, caused by the decay of protective fatty tissue, does not occur in all cases.

These feet are believed to be from an adult female buried in a Danish leprosy cemetery attached to a leper hospital. Those with leprosy were social outcasts due to fear of catching the disfiguring disease and it appears the same happened in death. However, similar skeletal remains have been found in graveyards not attached to leper hospitals.

Skull with mandible and vomer, showing effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, now in St. Jorgen's churchyard, reputedly c.1350, discovered 1930-1967

Cranium from skull, showing effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, now in St. Jorgen's churchyard, reputedly c.1350, discovered 1930-1967

Mandible (jaw bone) showing effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, now in St. Jorgen's churchyard, reputedly c.1350, discovered 1930-1967

Vomer (small thin bone from the nose), in 3 fragments. From skeleton showing effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, now in St. Jorgen's churchyard, reputedly c.1350, discovered 1930-1967

Arm, leg, pelvis, right and left hands, vertebrae, shoulder blades, kneecaps, collar bones, ribs and miscellaneous small bones from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right clavical (collarbone) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right scapula (shoulder blade) with large hole in blade from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left scapula (shoulder blade) with small hole and large crack in blade from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Seven right ribs, two of which are broken, from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Ten left ribs from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Vertibrae (spine) consisting of 24 pieces including C1-C7 (cervical) , T1- T12 (thoracic) and L1-L5 (lumbar) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Manubrium of the sternam (breastbone). Top roughly triangular shaped section from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Corpus sterni of the sternam (breastbone). Long flat section with notches along the edges. Broken into two parts. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right humerus (top arm bone) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right Ulna (forearm bone) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right Radius (forearm bone). Broken into two pieces. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right hand bones, consisting of wrist bones and metacarpals glued together, as well as 11 phalanges from multiple fingers. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left humerus (top arm bone) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left Ulna (forearm bone) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left Radius (forearm bone) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left hand bones, consiting of wrist bones and metacaples glud together into two pieces, as well as 12 phalanges from multiple fingers. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Pelvic girdle, consisting of a sacrum, and the left and right os caxae, all glued together as one. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right femur (upper leg) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right patella (knee cap) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right tibia (bigger of the two lower leg bones), glued to the right fibula. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Right fibula (smaller of the two lower leg bones), glued to the right tibia. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left femur (upper leg) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left patella (knee cap) from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left tibia (bigger of the two lower leg bones), glued to the left fibula. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Left fibula (smaller of the two lower leg bones), glued to the left tibia. From a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Phalange (small finger or toe bone), from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

One of two wrist or ankle bones from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350

Bone two of two wrist or ankle bones from a mature female skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, from a medieval Danish leprosy cemetery, reputedly c.1350