The Death of Mozart

Abstract

The illnesses of the great J HodqsonThe meaning of words in the new health service M GoodmanBalancing primary and specialty care K ThompsonPreference is given to letters commenting on contributions published recently in the JRSM.Theyshould not exceed 300words and should be typed double spaced.

What Killed Mozart?

“…Another hypothesis is that his fatal illness was infective endocarditis, [57][58][59] which might explain the fever and the skin lesions, which include petechiae, Osler nodes, and Janeway lesions. It would account for the inflamed extremities (arthritic and musculoskeletal complaints are common 60 ); mentation is typically preserved until death; and it was a lethal disease.…”

Mozart's rheumatic heart disease and probable infective endocarditis

“…Many articles and books have been written about his health, ailments and death [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12], including the latest one published in August 2009 [13]. Mozart died on December 5, 1791 at a young age of 35 years.…”

Diagnostic reappraisal of disease in famous persons

“…For example, the cause of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's death at the age of 35 years in 1791 remains obscure. Suggested causes include arsenic poisoning, 4 trichinosis, 4 a beta-haemolytic streptococcal infection, 5 bacterial endocarditis, 6 Henoch-Schönlein purpura, 4,7 rheumatic fever, 8 renal failure 9 and the obscure disease ‘hitziges Frieselfieber’ (military fever). 4,8,10 One of these diagnoses may be correct but the paucity of data and conflicting observations render the problem unsolvable for now.…”