Strep Throat May Have Led to Mozart's Death

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/dead/630089.html ^ | August 17, 2009

[ConservativeStatement]

MONDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- It's one of the enduring mysteries of classical music: What -- or who -- killed Mozart at the age of 35 when he was at the height of his creative powers?

Now, there's a new theory: He died of complications of strep throat.

The latest hypothesis lacks the inherent drama of murder by a rival or suicide, which have both been suggested as causes of Mozart's death. But Andrew Steptoe, co-author of a historical diagnosis published Aug. 18 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, said an infection makes the most sense, considering medical records from the time, which was Vienna in 1791.

"We have for the first time analyzed the causes of death that were prevalent over the period during which he died," said Steptoe, an epidemiologist at University College London. "This has given us ideas about what medical problems were widespread at that time, and we have been able to link this with the known facts about Mozart's death."

[Popman]

I never knew Mozart died at 35. Imagine what the world missed out by his life being cut short.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I'd have been dead long before 35 if not for the miracle of antibiotics.

Thank God for antibiotics.

[InvisibleChurch]

If by “strep throat” you mean “George Bush”, then, yes, I agree.

[randita]

bump

[ConservativeStatement]

Or trans fat. :-)

[FrdmLvr]

But remember, he got a real early start.

[tflabo]

That’s quite a moronic comment! Care to expound on it?

[Sacajaweau]

Antibiotics do save lives and suffering. IMHO, ordinary cleanliness still ranks as the No. 1 prevention of ordinary infections.

Cleanliness includes....If you're sick....stay home!!!

[La Lydia]

Check out Amadeus from netflicks. It is a great movie.

[tflabo]

George Washington died from strept throat complications at age 67.

[Political Junkie Too]

If only his doctor was incentivized to remove his tonsils... < /sarc>

-PJ

[SteamShovel]

Cleanliness includes....If you're sick....stay home!!!

Tell that to bosses everywhere.....

.....Many consider it a badge of honor to come to work sicker than a dog.

They even brag about it. Then the employees get sick and have to suffer because "the boss did" when in fact, if the boss had stayed home, the employees wouldn't have caught it from him.

[sitetest]

Dear randita,

Thanks for the ping!

Classical Music Ping List ping!

If you want on or off this list, let me know via FR e-mail.

Thanks,

sitetest

[dorothy]

I never knew Mozart died at 35

That reminded me of an old Tom Lehrer line (paraphrased): "It gives me pause to realize that when Mozart was my age he'd been dead for 7 years."

[Sacajaweau]

He did have a bad cold and I'd probably guess pneumonia before strep....I'm inclined to think the "bleeding" was the real culprit...so weakening his system, we lost him...

I don't think I've heard the strep theory before.

[A_Former_Democrat]

My thoughts, as well as the same about Buddy Holly

[Born Conservative]

Ping

[mortal19440]

He was waiting for Obamacare and after all this time we diagnosed the problem. Too bad Motz.

[Sans-Culotte]

Strep is still a serious illness. Gustav Mahler died of it, too.