eMJA: Jones, A new kind of cave painting

Snapshots

A new kind of cave painting

MJA 2000; 173: 658

This photograph confirms that Indigenous Australians were in the distal oesophagus well before European settlement. The photograph was taken at upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. It shows a segment of Barrett's epithelium (dark pink) just above the lower oesophageal sphincter. The lighter pink areas are residual islands of squamous epithelium. The "hand print" reminded me of Indigenous cave paintings in the outback.

Brian Jones, FRACP
Hornsby, NSW

The Medical Journal of Australia eMJA

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