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Early toilets reveal dysentery in Old Testament Jerusalem

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have discovered that our bowel movements haven’t changed much since the Old Testament. A study inspecting early toilets in Jerusalem has shown that the same form of diarrhoea many of us experience now has been around since before Jesus himself. Professor Piers Mitchell who runs the Ancient Parasites Laboratory in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge joined Stefanie Preissner on the show who was filling in for Seán today.

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14.23 29 May 2023


Early toilets reveal dysentery in Old Testament Jerusalem


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Share this article

14.23 29 May 2023


Scientists from the University of Cambridge have discovered that our bowel movements haven’t changed much since the Old Testament. A study inspecting early toilets in Jerusalem has shown that the same form of diarrhoea many of us experience now has been around since before Jesus himself.

Professor Piers Mitchell who runs the Ancient Parasites Laboratory in the Department of Archaeology at the University of Cambridge joined Stefanie Preissner on the show who was filling in for Seán today.


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