The History Room
Friends kept locks of hair. Recently those were analyzed.
Beethoven Died of Alcoholism, Promiscuity and a Weak Liver
The answers to decades-long questions about the health issues suffered by famed classical music composer Ludwig van Beethoven have been found in the most unexpected of places. Thanks to in-depth examination of his hair, scientists have revealed that Beethoven was not just a hard boozer with a sexually transmitted disease. It turns out he was also genetically destined to suffer liver disease.
Unveiling the Rockstar Life, and Frail Health, of Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German pianist and composer who is often cited as one of the forefathers of Western classical music. Born in December 1770 his first recorded piece of music was a set of nine piano variations composed in 1782, when he was just twelve.
Despite being a child prodigy, by the time he was 28 he had reported his first hearing problems. Whether Beethoven contracted syphilis has been debated for decades, but it is known that he enjoyed the company of prostitutes and his own doctor between 1806 and 1816 insisted he did indeed have syphilis. By the time Beethoven was 44 or 45, he was totally deaf, and unable to communicate without written notes which he passed back and forth to his colleagues, visitors and friends.
Now, a team of researchers has examined DNA collected from a substantial sample of Beethoven's hair: 5 meters and 55 centimeters (18 ft) to be precise. Thanks to the use of cutting-edge scientific analysis, it has finally been determined that the musical giant had indeed contracted hepatitis B , and that he “drank himself to death” by accelerating his inherited liver disease.
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Originally Posted by Just AnotherPerson
