A Modern Case Sheds Light on a Classical Enigma: Beethoven's Deafness.
Beethoven
deafness
hearing loss
lead
poisoning
Journal
The Laryngoscope
ISSN: 1531-4995
Titre abrégé: Laryngoscope
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 8607378
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 2021
01 2021
Historique:
received:
02
11
2019
accepted:
22
11
2019
pubmed:
7
1
2020
medline:
22
1
2021
entrez:
7
1
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Two hundred and fifty years have passed since the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, and the enigma about his hearing loss and overall health status seems to be not completely solved. However, the admission to the hospital of a 64-year-old woman in 2018 with symptoms extremely similar to those experienced by the great composer may add further evidence to a theory previously underestimated. The health issues of the modern patient were found to be due to chronic lead intoxication. The lead was released during daily cooking using a ceramic-coated frying pan with worn surface that poisoned her breakfast most probably for years. Abdominal pain, asthenia, and hearing loss affecting the high frequencies with a many impact on speech intelligibility tormented the patient, as they had Beethoven. An extensive review of the music and medical literature was performed, as well as re-examination of manuscripts, correspondence, and autopsy reports of the famous composer; and great similarities have been found. The soundness of the most-cited classical theories about Beethoven's hearing loss will be discussed. After close scrutiny of the theories, our analysis points toward a progressive sensorineural hearing loss due to lead intoxication as the most probable cause of not only Beethoven's hypoacusis but his overall health status as well. Laryngoscope, 131:179-185, 2021.
Types de publication
Biography
Case Reports
Historical Article
Journal Article
Review
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
179-185Sujets (noms de personnes)
{'last_name': 'van Beethoven', 'fore_name': 'Ludwig', 'initials': 'L'}
Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Type : CommentIn
Type : CommentIn
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
© 2020 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.
Références
Rolland R. Vie des hommes illustres - Beethoven. Paris, France: Cahiers de la quinzaine; 1903.
Schindler A. Biographie von Ludwig van Beethoven. Hildesheim, Germany: G. Olms; 1970.
Thayer AW, Forbes E, Deiters H, Riemann H, Krehbiel EH. Thayer's Life of Beethoven. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 1967.
Anderson E. The Letters of Beethoven. Collected, translated, and edited with an Introduction, Appendices, Notes, and Indexes. London, England: Macmillan; 1961.
Stevens MH, Jacobsen T, Crofts AK. Lead and the deafness of Ludwig van Beethoven. Laryngoscope 2013;123:2854-2858.
Wallace R. Hearing Beethoven: A Story of Musical Loss and Discovery. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press; 2018.
Albrecht T. Beethoven's Conversation Books: Volume 2: Nos. 9 to 16 (March 1820 to September 1820). Boydell Press. 2019.
Davies PJ. Beethoven in Person: His Deafness, Illnesses, and Death. Westport: CT: Greenwood Press; 2001.
Han KM, Ko YH, Shin C, et al. Tinnitus, depression, and suicidal ideation in adults: a nationally representative general population sample. J Psychiatr Res 2018;98:124-132.
Cooper AZ, Nair SS, Tremaglio JM. Diagnosing Beethoven: a new take on an old patient. Am J Med 2016;129:126-127.
McCabe BF. Autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss. Laryngoscope 1979;88:585-589.
Oiseth SJ. Beethoven's autopsy revisited: a pathologist sounds a final note. J Med Biogr 2017;25:139-147.
Shearer PD. The deafness of Beethoven: an audiologic and medical overview. Am J of Otol 1990;11:370-374.
Scorsby M. Beethoven's deafness. J Laryngol Otol 1930;45:329-343.
Hui AC, Wong SM. Deafness and liver disease in a 57-year-old man: a medical history of Beethoven. Hong Kong Med J 2000;6:433-438.
McCabe BF. The deafness of Beethoven. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2004;113:511-525.
U.S. Department of Energy, News Release of the Argonne National Laboratory. Research Proves Beethoven Suffered from Lead Poisoning. October 17, 2000. Available at: http://www.anl.gov/opa/whatsnew/beethovenstory.htm
U.S. Department of Energy, News Release of the Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne Researchers Confirm Lead as Cause of Beethoven's Illness. December 6, 2005.
Donnenberg MS, Collins MT, Benitez RM, Mackowiak PA. The sound that failed. Am J Med 2000;108:475-480.
Forster W. Beethovens Krankheiten und ihre Beurteilung. Wiesbaden, Germany: Breitkopf & Hartel; 1956.
Bankl VH, Jesserer H. Die Krankheiten Ludwig van Beethovens, in Mitteilungen des Pathologisch-anatomischen Bundesmuseums in Wien. Wien, Austria: Museum of Anatomic Pathology. 1986;1:5-12.
Jesserer H, Bankl H. Was Beethoven's deafness caused by Paget's disease? Report of findings and study of skull fragments of Ludwig van Beethoven. Laryngol Rhinol Otol 1986;65:592-597.
Lesky E, Williams L, Levij IS. The Vienna Medical School of the 19th Century. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1976.
Toynbee J. Pathological and surgical observations on the diseases of the ear. Med Chir Trans 1841;24:190-211.
Park SK, Elmarsafawy S, Mukherjee B, et al. Cumulative lead exposure and age-related hearing loss: the VA normative aging study. Hear Res 2010;269:48-55.
Prasher D. Heavy metals and noise exposure: health effects. Noise Health 2009;11:141-144,
Castellanos MJ, Fuente A. The adverse effects of heavy metals with and without noise exposure on the human peripheral and central auditory system: a literature review. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2016;13:1223.
Walsh WJ. Elevated lead in Beethoven bone relics. Health Research Institute: Press Conference. October 17, 2000. Internet Archive, March 6, 2008.
Zarina G, Sholts SB, Tichinin A, et al. Cribra orbitalia as a potential indicator of childhood stress: evidence from paleopathology, stable C, N, and O isotopes, and trace element concentrations in children from a 17th-18th century cemetery in Jekabpils, Latvia. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2016;38:131-137.
Patrick L. Lead toxicity, a review of the literature. Part 1: exposure, evaluation, and treatment. Altern Med Rev 2006;11:2-22.