On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:10:19 -0500, Tom Bri <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Ice age Europe, is the one that springs to mind.

When was that?


  Evidence of Vitamin D
> deficiency in leg bones, probably from long winters spent in caves and
> wrapped up head to toe.

Aboriginal Americans didn't need caves, and AFAIK didn't suffer from such  
deformities.


  I don't know any environment that is not subject
> to
> at least occasional food shortages. I imagine ice age Europe had long
> periods when people were stuck in camp and could not get out to hunt due  
> to
> the weather.

If the snowplows ever quit, I'll let you know how I do.


Preserving food in a cold environment isn't difficult. It would take a  
cataclysmic climate change for people to suffer from long-term  
malnutrition, or other reason for the hunters to fail.

William