this paleopathologist from Haute-Garonne recounts the origin and evolution of diseases over time

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The subject is fascinating. On the initiative of the association Guardians of the Rootsthe paleopathologist Jean Zammit will give a conference on Friday, December 13, at 9 p.m., in the Caraman hall. On this occasion he will deliver the fruit of his numerous works consisting of study ancient bones to better understand the origin of diseases and their evolution over time. A scientific practice to which he has devoted himself for nearly 45 years alongside his profession as a radiologist.

In October 2024, this resident of Caraman published the work Investigation into the origins of our diseases – What paleopathology reveals to us published by Michalon. A book in which he paints a convincing sketch of the suspect of all our modern infections: neolithization. And which he will present for the first time publicly during this intervention which will be accompanied by a mini-exhibition of archaeological pieces from the Neolithicproposed by Jerome Salles.

Decisive meeting with Jean Guilaine

Jean Zammit's passion for Prehistory was born on a day of general strike. “It was in May 1968. I was a student in Toulouse. There were no more classes, the university was invaded and I didn't have much of a general meeting… I then decided to visit the Natural History Museum with its paleontology gallery and its collections of prehistoric fossils. It was a real revelation ! “, he remembers.

A few years later, when he became a radiologist in Carcassonne, he met Jean Guilaineone of the French specialists in Prehistory and Protohistory. It is the latter which will push him to turn to paleopathology. “He had discovered a grave with old bones. He asked me if I didn’t want to study them,” the radiologist recalls. The beginning of a process that he continued for several years to become theone of the specialists in the study of old bones and ancient diseases
.

I sometimes received entire boxes of ancient bones and skeletons. At the end of my consulting day, I spent my evenings studying them. I found traces of arrowheads and other weapons from the time, but also of osteoarthritis, tumors or deformations. This allows us to learn more about prehistoric diseases, but also about the evolution of our current diseases.

“Our human diseases are born, live and die”

For Jean Zammit, paleopathology allows us to “diagnose and compare diseases to better situate them”. And if the radiologist were to draw only one certainty from his work it is that “diseases are born, live and evolve over time before dying” .

The researcher also argues that it is the birth of agriculture in the Neolithic which generated the vast majority of our current diseases and in particular epidemics. “In the hunter-gatherer era, there was no contact between man and animal. This is the promiscuity between man and animals who allowed the development of viruses and microbes, which have evolved to become ours », argues Jean Zammit.

Collective epidemics were born in the Neolithic with the domestication of wild animals. As with what we experienced with Covid, there was no immunity at the start. Then they transformed. Before the use of vaccines and antibiotics disrupts their natural evolution.

Cancers, genetic diseases…

In total, the resident of Caraman believes he was able to analyze between 200 and 250 diseases thanks to his studies. He was particularly interested in cancersthanks to the metastases which can be x-rayed and which are easily identifiable on the bones. “In all of prehistory, we only know five or six cases of tumors of which we can wonder if they were not cancerous. It is a disease that practically does not exist, but it must be said that life expectancy is then 25 to 30 years. The first examples of cancerous tumors appear from Napoleon and the curve becomes exponential at the beginning of the 19th century^e century with the industrial era, before a explosion from 1945 with modern life “, he specifies, pointing to environmental factors.

Jean Zammit also mentions in his book the genetic diseasesrecalling that nearly 7,000 different ones have appeared in recent years and that some do not affect sometimes only 40 to 50 individuals. “These conditions result in growth abnormalitiesand particularly on bones. It is therefore a dream study area for paleopathologists», he notes.

A conference accessible to as many people as possible

During his conference, the radiologist will therefore share his conclusions in order to allow the audience to learn more about the origin and evolution over the centuries of all these diseases and many others. While ensuring that he will popularize his point as much as possiblebeing well aware of the complexity of the subject. “I will of course make sure that it is as accessible as possible. I have also prepared a presentation with 50 slideswhich will be projected and will allow the public to follow my words,” he reassures.

And for those who cannot go to the Caraman hall that evening to listen to the paleopathologist, it will be possible to discover the history of these diseases by purchasing the work of Jean Zammit. “This book is a child of Covid. I started it during confinement and I finished it in 2022. It was 500 pages initially, but my editor asked me to cut it in half so that it could be published,” laughs the Caramanais .

Practical information
Conference by Jean Zammit – Friday December 13 at 9 p.m. – Caraman hall
The conference will be followed by a sale and signing of the book.
An exhibition of archaeological pieces from the Neolithic will also be visible.

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