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New analysis of Beethoven’s hair reveals possible cause of mysterious ailments, scientists say
An analysis of locks of Ludwig van Beethoven’s hair suggest he had lead poisoning. It may have contributed to chronic ailments, deafness and — ultimately — his demise.
In addition to high concentrations of lead, the latest findings showed arsenic and mercury that remain trapped in the composer’s strands nearly 200 years after his death, according to a new letter published Monday in the journal Clinical Chemistry. Christian Reiter, now the retired deputy director of the Center of Forensic Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna, had previously studied the Hiller Lock, a sample of hair long attributed to Beethoven. Elevated lead levels such as those detected in Beethoven’s hair “are commonly associated with gastrointestinal and renal ailments and decreased hearing but are not considered high enough to be the sole cause of death,” the study authors wrote.
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