Abstract

The musician Ludwig van Beethoven suffered from progressive hearing loss and abdominal pain, both of which can be explained by lead intoxication. With genomic analyses, Begg et al. (2023) have confirmed that the five locks of hair attributed to Beethoven were authentic. Moreover, the possible cause of his severe liver disease was revealed. Rifai et al. (2024) have observed unusually high lead levels in authenticated locks of hair from Beethoven. Based on the new pieces of evidence, we conclude that his hearing loss and gastrointestinal complaints were caused by plumbism.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.