Argonne researchers confirm lead as cause of Beethoven's illness
ARGONNE, Ill. (December 6, 2005) – Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's
Argonne National Laboratory have found massive amounts of lead in bone fragments
belonging to 19th Century composer Ludwig von Beethoven, confirming the cause
of his years of chronic debilitating illness.
Beethoven research makes Leno's monologue
"Here's an interesting story … the Energy Department's
Argonne National Lab has determined that test results now show that Beethoven
died of lead poisoning.
"Now when did he die — 1827? Boy, you thought you
had to wait a long time for your lab results. What are you talking about?
Apparently, Beethoven was one of the first HMO members.
"As they said ...lead poisoning. So, hopefully, the
Beethoven family now finally has some closure. They can all rest in peace."
From
Jay Leno's monologue, NBC Tonight Show, Monday, Dec. 12, 2005 |
The bone fragments, confirmed by DNA testing to have come from Beethoven's
body, were scanned by X-rays from the Advanced
Photon Source at Argonne, which
provides the most brilliant X-rays in the Western Hemisphere. A control bone
fragment sample from the same historic period was also examined. Both bone
fragments were from the parietal section – the top – of the skull.
“The testing indicated large amounts of lead in the Beethoven bone sample,
compared to the control,” said Bill Walsh, chief scientist at the Pfeiffer
Treatment Center in Warrenville, Ill., and director of the Beethoven Research
Project.
The bone fragment is the property of Paul Kaufman, a California businessman
who inherited the relics through other family members from his great-great
uncle, an Austrian doctor. Not sure if the fragment was actually from the composer,
Kaufman sent it to the University
of Muenster in Germany for mitochondrial
DNA comparison with the samples of Beethoven's hair, owned by the Beethoven
Society and also analyzed by Walsh and his colleagues at the Advanced Photon
Source.
The findings confirm the earlier work done on the hair samples. In addition,
the researchers found no detectable levels of either cadmium or mercury – both
considered possibilities for causing Beethoven's illness – in either the bone
fragment or the hair.
“The finding of elevated lead in Beethoven's skull, along with DNA results
indicating authenticity of the bone/hair relics, provides solid evidence that
Beethoven suffered from a toxic overload of lead,” Walsh said. “In addition,
the presence of lead in the skull suggests that his exposure to lead was not
a recent event, but may have been present for many years.”
The half life of
lead in the human body is about 22 years, with 95 percent of “old” lead residing
in the skeletal structure. Beethoven experienced a change of personality and
abdominal illness in his late teens and early 20s that persisted throughout
his adult life. His abdominal symptoms and autopsy findings are both consistent
with lead poisoning, Walsh said.
There have been documented cases of deafness resulting from lead poisoning,
but this has been a relatively rare occurrence. There is no solid evidence
that lead poisoning was a cause of Beethoven's deafness, Walsh said.
"Beethoven saw physician after physician in search of a cure for his
physical ailments," said Walsh. In fact, in a letter to a friend, he expressed
the wish that after his death, researchers would use his remains to help determine
the cause of his illness so that others would not have to suffer as he did. "Beethoven
suffered from bad digestion, chronic abdominal pain, irritability and depression.
Since he died in 1827 at age 57, there has been much speculation but no proof
of the cause of his illnesses and death."
Researchers performed the elemental X-ray fluorescence analysis at an Advanced
Photon Source X-ray Operations and Research beamline.
"The APS is the only machine in the country where we can perform the
research in this detail," said Ken Kemner, one of the Argonne researchers
involved in the project. The group used microimaging to look at the distribution
of lead in and on both the bone fragment and the hair to identify the presence
of any surface effects and to determine the timeline of the lead exposure.
Argonne's Advanced Photon Source is a premier national research facility
providing X-rays to more than 5,000 scientists from around the world. “Our
users bring with them ideas for new discoveries in nearly every scientific
discipline,” said
Murray Gibson, Argonne associate laboratory director for scientific user facilities. “They
bring their ideas to the APS because our X-ray beams let them collect data
in unprecedented detail and in amazingly short time frames.”
Other members of the research team are Derrick Mancini and Francesco DeCarlo
of the Advanced Photon Source Experimental
Facilities Division.
Argonne National Laboratory brings
the world's brightest scientists and engineers together to find exciting and
creative new solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology.
The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic
and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne
researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities,
and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific
problems, advance America 's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for
a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed
by UChicago
Argonne, LLC for
the U.S.
Department of Energy's Office
of Science.
For more information, please
contact Steve McGregor (630/252-5580 or media@anl.gov)
at Argonne.
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