Comments on: Diagnosing the Illness That Killed Mozart, 218 Years Later http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/ 80beats is DISCOVER's news aggregator, weaving together the choicest tidbits from the best articles covering the day\'s most compelling topics. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:31:19 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Brian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-42890 Brian Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:17:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/#comment-42890 "...might have...". I think that about sums up the state of our knowledge on the matter. I thought all of these retroactive diagnoses of various historical figures ailments were inconclusive at best and a complete waste of time at worst? What killed Napoleon? What killed Alexander the Great? What killed Kublai Khan? The state of science and medicine was sufficiently different that they didn't necessarily examine the patient at all, or if they did they used confused and confusing terminology. Descriptions of "humors" abound (substitute the appropriate cultural and time relevant terminology). No autopsies were done and samples weren't taken. In short there's no physical evidence. Correction, there's some physical evidence for Napoleon and it still caused years' worth of arguments. Therefore retrospective diagnoses are just about as inaccurate as they were when the patient was dying. The one thing we know, for sure, is that they're dead. As for what killed them, well there's lots of potential causes. “…might have…”. I think that about sums up the state of our knowledge on the matter.

I thought all of these retroactive diagnoses of various historical figures ailments were inconclusive at best and a complete waste of time at worst? What killed Napoleon? What killed Alexander the Great? What killed Kublai Khan?

The state of science and medicine was sufficiently different that they didn’t necessarily examine the patient at all, or if they did they used confused and confusing terminology. Descriptions of “humors” abound (substitute the appropriate cultural and time relevant terminology). No autopsies were done and samples weren’t taken. In short there’s no physical evidence. Correction, there’s some physical evidence for Napoleon and it still caused years’ worth of arguments.

Therefore retrospective diagnoses are just about as inaccurate as they were when the patient was dying.

The one thing we know, for sure, is that they’re dead. As for what killed them, well there’s lots of potential causes.

]]> By: robot makes music http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-42551 robot makes music Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:23:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/#comment-42551 I guess you can go to bed still wondering, then. :D I guess you can go to bed still wondering, then. :D

]]> By: HAPPY JACK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-42482 HAPPY JACK Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:17:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/#comment-42482 I woke up this morning wondering how Mozart died. I woke up this morning wondering how Mozart died.

]]> By: Romeo Vitelli http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/comment-page-1/#comment-42444 Romeo Vitelli Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:31:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/08/18/diagnosing-the-illness-that-killed-mozart-218-years-later/#comment-42444 All sorts of juicy rumours sprang up after Mozart's death including various murder speculations. Nobody seemed to want to believe that he died of natural causes. http://drvitelli.typepad.com/providentia/2009/04/the-salieri-rumour.html http://drvitelli.typepad.com/providentia/2007/04/after_mozarts_f.html All sorts of juicy rumours sprang up after Mozart’s death including various murder speculations. Nobody seemed to want to believe that he died of natural causes.

http://drvitelli.typepad.com/providentia/2009/04/the-salieri-rumour.html

http://drvitelli.typepad.com/providentia/2007/04/after_mozarts_f.html

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