Beethoven's Death Not Due to Lead Poisoning

Famous composer Beethoven's death still mystery. Some medical complications are often associated with death. But the latest findings reveal a cause of lead poisoning could be removed.

Famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in 1827. Based on an analysis of Beethoven's skull fragments conducted by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San Jose State University, Beethoven's death was not caused by lead poisoning.

"Approximately 95 percent lead in the adult body is stored in bones, and tin can survive there for years even after death," said Andrew Todd, a professor of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai School, as quoted from HealthDay, Friday (04/06/2010).

Prof Todd said by measuring the amount of lead contained in the fragments (pieces) of Beethoven's bones, allowing researchers to determine how much exposure he received during his tin life.

The two bone fragments under study are obtained by a composer friend named Dr. Gerhard von Breuning. Pieces of bone were obtained during Beethoven's body reburied in 1863. Reputedly known that von Breuning provides bone fragments at a professor at the University of Vienna.

Prof. Tood and colleagues tried to measure the thickness of the skull and also analyze the surface of a small piece of skull bone. The analysis was performed following the previous test conducted in 2000.

Recent efforts undertaken to gather information is by using a technique known as X-ray flourescence (XRF) by keeping the weight of the bones being examined. This technique uses small doses of radiation to see each tin is still stored in the bones.

Researchers found that of the two bone fragments found at 12 microgram of lead per gram of bone mineral. This amount is not sufficient to support the notion that Beethoven suffered from lead exposure causes renal failure that threatened his life.

"For someone your age should be the amount of tin which Beethoven found more than it is about 21 microgram per gram of bone mineral to cause lead poisoning," says Professor Todd.

Based on some existing theories, Beethoven died from lead poisoning suspected of experiencing colic and kidney failure along with liver failure who was mentioned as a possible cause of his death at the age of 56 years.

But until now the cause of death of the composer Beethoven was still a mystery, because based on testing the bone fragment was found that it is likely he died not due to lead poisoning.

In the beginning, lead poisoning is difficult to detect, even if someone looks healthy he could have been excessively exposed to lead. Symptoms of poisoning is only to be seen if the amount accumulated in the body is high.

Although this tin can attack any part of the body, but usually the main target is the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin), which can eventually attack the person's nervous system.