1031 OF CONCERTOS AND COLIC, OR SYMPHONY NO. 5 IN “C”

Abstract

You have accessJournal of UrologyHistory of Urology Forum1 Apr 20111031 OF CONCERTOS AND COLIC, OR SYMPHONY NO. 5 IN “C” Michael Moran and Alfredo Guevaro Michael MoranMichael Moran Tucson, AZ More articles by this author and Alfredo GuevaroAlfredo Guevaro Nogales, AZ More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2011.02.1067AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The legacy of the Ludwig van Beethoven to classical music transcends much of the art. He is considered a romantic and much has been made recently about new findings of his protracted illness, “plumbism.” But he suffered in his early twenties from a chronic abdominal pain condition that had never been fully explained. This is a historical and medical review of his colic episodes and the findings at autopsy of renal stone disease and papillary necrosis. METHODS Histories of Beethoven's sufferings were cross referenced to his productive episodes of composition. It has been often quoted that his musical genius is in part due to the horrible pains that he suffered for over 30 years. RESULTS Beethoven had renal calculus disease and suffered horribly from recurrent bouts of colic. It appears that his medical doctors were more concerned with the maestro's chronic bowel problems that consisted of diarrhea than the colic. Recent studies show that he had toxic levels of lead poisoning which account for some of his GI maladies. But he adamantly refused narcotic pain medications which may have impaired his abilities to compose. There were no traces of opioids in his most recent chemical analyses. CONCLUSIONS Often portrayed as an eccentric, Beethoven suffered essentially in silence. He was reluctant to involve his friends in his private sufferings and he occasionally consulted physicians. The inscription over the very mystical slow movement of the String Quartet in A Minor, Opus 132 reads, “Holy song of thanksgiving to the Diety from one who has been cured–in the Lydian mode.” This Beethoven wrote after he recuperated from a severe bout of colic in April, 1825. He was adamantly opposed to anything other than alcohol that could affect his ability to create music. His autopsy revealed dark cloudy fluid in the kidneys and numerous bilateral stones, each about the size of a pea. © 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 185Issue 4SApril 2011Page: e415 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Michael Moran Tucson, AZ More articles by this author Alfredo Guevaro Nogales, AZ More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...