Tragic

Arguably the greatest composer ever, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) seems to have suffered horribly throughout his life from the effects of lead poisoning. "There are many possibilities," says Bill Walsh, who headed a team that studied Beethoven's hair samples and fragments from his skull at the Department of Energy laboratory in Argonne, Ill. The composer was a wine lover, and wine at the time was known to contain high lead levels. He also drank out of a goblet made partially of lead and stayed at a spa where he drank mineral water, Walsh says.

This explains Beethoven's legendary irritability. For much of Beethoven's later life, the composer was friendless even as he wrote some of the greatest masterpieces ever (such as the Missa Solemnis).

Legendary irritability ... Makes us wonder if another legendary (though talentless) grouch drinks his Kool Ade from a lead goblet.

tags: ludwig van beethoven lead poisoning missa solemnis bill o'reilly

Comments

[actor212]

Yea. Lead. That's why I'm a son of a bitch...

[enigma4ever]

Thanks for posting on this. So Sad, you have to wonder if he had not been exposed to such a toxic burden/load levels what he would have produced.The levels in his bones is very high, I would love to know what the hair levels are? The Bones show many years of lead absorbed and ingested, and acute chronic poisoning- not low level chronic poisoning.( The hair would have revealed the exposure the last two years of his life). Depending on where he lived his plumbing also could have contributed to his condition ( ie. The Romans). And sadly there was no treatment for this condition in his time.Okay...enough nurse blabbering...

[Shakespeare's Sister]

Does anyone know the lead content of the table settings at the White House?

[Drew]

Does anyone know the lead content of the table settings at the White House?

HAAAAAA HA HA HA HA!

THAT WAS TEH FUNNY!

[HelenWheels]

I guess the lead-based face powder did some damage to a few brains as well.