Recent DNA research - Did Beethoven's consumption of inexpensive wine lead to his deafness?
The reason for this has been a mystery, much like other health issues the artist faced, such as diarrhea and stomach pains.
However, 200 years after his death, an examination of Beethoven's hair has uncovered high levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury, as stated in a letter to the editor of the journal "Clinical Chemistry." These metals could offer some explanations.
The scientists analyzed two confirmed locks of the composer's hair. The first one had 380 micrograms of lead per gram of hair, while the second had 258 micrograms. A usual lead content in one gram of hair is around 4 micrograms. Beethoven's strands also had 13 times the standard level of arsenic and four times the typical level of mercury.
The scientists believe that the lead may have contributed to his gastrointestinal issues and hearing loss. "I've never seen such high levels in hair," said co-author Paul Jannetto, a pathologist at the Mayo Clinic, to The New York Times.
Potential Theories: Why was the composer's hair so full of lead?
► Beethoven was a big fan of wine. The problem: During that time, lead acetate, which tastes sweet, was often added to cheap wine.
The New York Times reports that the wine was also matured in lead-soldered vats. The corks were soaked in lead salt before use, and it's likely that Beethoven drank from a lead cup.
► But that wasn't the only source: lead was commonly used in medication. To treat his ailments, Beethoven took up to 75 medicines at once, all of which probably contained the metal.
► The composer also consumed a lot of fish - mostly likely from the polluted Danube.
The researchers conclude that "this is an important part of a complex puzzle and will allow historians, doctors, and scientists to better understand the medical history of the great composer."
A note of caution: the exact correlation between lead levels in hair and blood is not clear. However, the researchers state that "higher lead concentrations in hair, as observed in this study, have been shown to be linked to kidney and liver disease."
Beethoven's Hepatitis B when he passed away
The new findings come from the results of a DNA analysis in March 2023.
The samples indicated that Beethoven had a genetic predisposition to liver disease and was dealing with hepatitis B when he died. The analysis also disproved other potential explanations for his digestive problems (like lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome).
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Source: symclub.org
