Interesting question.  Besides looking for parasites, I would think that one might detect pathogenic bacteria that are spore formers.  Their presence in a soil sample might suggest certain diseases like botulism or anthrax, but their presence in a soil sample might be coincidental.  Of course, culturing pathogens would have to be done by qualified microbiologists or technicians because of the health hazard.
Allen Vegotsky


-----Original Message-----
>From: Barbara Voss <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Aug 22, 2012 1:58 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: studying disease with soil samples
>
>Dear HistArch'ers
>Beyond parasitology, are there other techniques to recover evidence of
>disease or infection through analysis of soil samples from privy deposits?
>Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have,
>--Barb
>
>-----------------------------------------------
>Barbara L. Voss, Associate Professor
>Department of Anthropology
>450 Serra Mall, Bldg. 50, Main Quad
>Stanford University
>Stanford CA 94305-2034
>650 723-3421 (dept office)
>650 725-0605 (fax)
>[log in to unmask]