Posted on 12/07/2005 4:05:48 PM PST by neverdem
Science Reporter
Sophisticated new tests confirm that Ludwig van Beethoven suffered severe lead poisoning, which could explain his cranky personality.
But lead poisoning probably is not the reason why the great composer lost his hearing, researchers announced Tuesday.
In 2000, tests of Beethoven's hair at southwest suburban Argonne National Laboratory showed he had lead concentrations roughly 100 times higher than levels found in healthy adults today.
But hair analysis is not scientifically conclusive. Moreover, skeptics said, hair samples used in the test could have been contaminated by, for example, hair powder, dirt or grease.
But a new test at Argonne, done on a skull fragment, confirms the presence of lead in Beethoven's body. The test was conducted by Bill Walsh of the Pfeiffer Treatment Center in Warrenville and Argonne researchers.
Cause of condition unknown
For the first time, said William Meredith of the Beethoven Center at San Jose State University, "we have actual scientific evidence about something that either caused Beethoven's death or contributed to it."
But what caused the lead poisoning remains a mystery. Among the theories, all unproven: Beethoven drank wine or ate fish contaminated with lead. There was lead in his favorite pewter cup. He was poisoned by drinking and bathing in mineral water at a spa. Or perhaps Beethoven had a defect that made his body unable to remove lead.
Whatever the cause, lead poisoning likely was responsible for Beethoven's prickly personalty, Walsh said. Beethoven was famously irritable and suspicious, and had few friends.
"His music was revered, but he was not revered," Walsh said.
'He went to so many doctors'
Lead poisoning also could explain Beethoven's chronic abdominal pain and the severe kidney and liver damage that likely caused his death, Walsh said.
"He went to so many doctors and nobody helped him, so he finally gave up," Walsh said.
The tests were done on Argonne's $500 million Advanced Photon Source, which provides the most brilliant X-rays of any machine in the Western Hemisphere.
A fragment of Beethoven's skull was compared to a skull fragment from another person from the same time period. The Beethoven sample had much more lead.
The Beethoven bone fragment belongs to California businessman Paul Kaufman. Kaufman's great-great uncle was an Austrian doctor who kept fragments after Beethoven's body was exhumed. The bones were passed down through the generations to Kaufman.
A separate set of tests done at other centers indicate that DNA in the skull fragments matches DNA from a sample of Beethoven's hair taken a day after his death.
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN 1770-1827
Best known works: His Third, Fifth, Sixth and Ninth symphonies; an opera, "Fidelio," and a religious composition, Missa Solemnis.
Most famous notes: The ominous "bom bom bom bommmm" that begins his Fifth Symphony.
Other works: Besides the nine symphonies, they include five piano concertos, a violin concerto, several overtures, 16 string quartets, 10 violin sonatas and 35 piano sonatas.
Mystery lover: Beethoven never married. But after he died, friends found a love letter he wrote to a never-identified woman he called "immortal beloved."
His own man: Rather than work as a hired gun for the church or aristocracy, Beethoven supported himself with performances, sales of his works, etc.
Couldn't hear his own music: Beethoven began losing his hearing in his late 20s and was completely deaf during his final years, including when he wrote and conducted his great Ninth Symphony.
jritter@suntimes.com
I believe this. I have a lead pipe I use to "correct" my husband and it often makes him grumpy.
His heart stopped?
Exceptions can be made for Genius.
"I believe this. I have a lead pipe I use to "correct" my husband and it often makes him grumpy."
LOL!!!
you are too funny!!! Thank you for the good laugh!!!
We need more of your input to give us a lighter day. Also, Dr. Williams gifts to his wife, "Mrs. Williams," comes to mind.
Thank you.
Perhaps. They say lead poisoning made the Roman emperors into psychopaths.
Increasing total deafness can make a musical genius incredibly grumpy.
“Lead poisoning...”
Oh, hogwash. We all know it was DDT.
The Beethoven bone fragment belongs to California businessman Paul Kaufman. Kaufman's great-great uncle was an Austrian doctor who kept fragments after Beethoven's body was exhumed. The bones were passed down through the generations to Kaufman.
It appears the Kaufman family has a bone fetish. I know this was a famous person, but who in their right mind would pass down bones to their descendents? I'm surprised there isn't a claimed Beethoven descendent suing them for grave desecration and mental anguish.(Sarcasm)
"I think it was the syphilis that made the Roman emperors psychopaths."
Interesting. I had never given that a thought. Extremely likely indeed. That suddenly explains a lot!
Thank you.
We geniuses are often grumpy and obnoxious.
DUM DA DA DUMMMMM DUM DA DA Hey get out of here can't you see I'm working!
Thanks for the link.
Is that Howard Dean's excuse?
What about Bill Clinton, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton?
Perhaps they are all afflicting with forms of syphilitic dementia.........
No, syphilis is native to the America's, and was unknown in Europe before Columbus and the Spanish accidentally 'discovered' it.
I think the other poster was being humorous.
I have to bitch slap my ho' to keep her in line. She only bleeds from the lip when I'm really pissed.
It's just not as funny with the genders reversed.
What do you call a woman with two black eyes? Nothing. You already told her twice. Hahahahaha!
If the truth actually came out about how many guys like me were married to abusive wives, jokes like these would be as funny as holocaust jokes.
I am confused (obviously). Then I was thinking of smallpox where the Europeans introduced that small pox to the New World.
As I am typing this, I am now remembering that syphilis was the New World's payback to the Europeans for their smallpox gift. Can you verify this?
Thank you.
P.S. Then it was DDT that also did in the Romans.
Well there you go: I never knew Beethoven ate paint chips.
> I think it was the syphilis that made the Roman emperors psychopaths.
Syphilis was brought to Europe from the New World by Columbus. Of composers, Schubert died of it.
But to get back to the thread.... when he had become deaf, LVB conversed with his friends--he had them--via pencil and paper in notebooks that have been preserved. No analysis of them that I'm aware of has ever suggested he had lead poisoning.
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