Shocking discoveries in celebrity autopsies
Researchers find signs of lead poisoning in locks of Beethoven's hair
CELEBRITY Deaths
Death is always a sorrowful event, especially when it involves a well-known individual. Although numerous celebrities have met tragic fates, some findings after post-mortem examinations have revealed the extraordinary nature of these incidents. Frequently, famous personalities pass away due to drug overdoses or similar incidents, but occasionally a deeper investigation unveils hidden truths.
The composer Ludwig van Beethoven was famously deaf, and suffered a series of other health problems throughout his life before dying at the age of 56 of unknown causes. An international group of researchers have spent almost 10 years trying to honor the wishes of the master himself, who expressed a desire for his illnesses to be studied after his death. A report released in March 2023 revealed that Beethoven had significant genetic risk factors for liver disease and hepatitis B before his death. However, this still didn’t definitively explain the loss of his hearing in his mid-20s, his life-long gastrointestinal issues, bouts with jaundice, and severe liver disease.
More recently, scientists have been studying locks of the composer’s hair and made some fascinating discoveries. Testing revealed extremely high levels of lead contained in his hair, almost 200 years after his death. “These levels are considered as lead poisoning,” said lead study author Nader Rifai, professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School and director of clinical chemistry at Boston Children’s Hospital. “If you walk into any emergency room in the United States with these levels, you will be admitted immediately and you will undergo chelation therapy.” Lead poisoning can cause the majority of health problems he experienced in his life.
However, experts say they don’t believe the lead poisoning was the sole cause of death, and given that the hair samples were taken from him later in life, it’s impossible to tell if the poisoning began early enough to cause his hearing loss.
Take a moment to explore the following gallery and delve into the distressing and unsettling revelations unveiled during celebrity autopsies.