Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest musicians ever known, passed away on a stormy Monday in March 1827 after a protracted illness. At that time, he was bedridden with jaundice, his limbs and abdomen swollen, and each breath a struggle.
Beethoven had written a will nearly 25 years earlier, asking his brothers to disclose the details of his condition to the public. Today, researchers have fulfilled this testament by analyzing the DNA in authenticated samples of his hair using genetic analysis. The study aims to shed light on Beethoven’s health problems, particularly his progressive hearing loss and abdominal issues.
Beethoven was functionally deaf by his mid-40s, a tragic irony considering he became ill with tinnitus in his 20s. The cause of his hearing loss has remained unknown even to his personal physician. Further investigation suggests that hepatitis B infection, exacerbated by his drinking habits, might be responsible for his death.
Surprisingly, the original DNA samples from Beethoven’s hair contained a lock of woman’s hair, contradicting the earlier theory of lead poisoning. The study reveals that several other locks are more likely to belong to Beethoven himself, indicating that hepatitis B infection was likely the primary cause of his demise.
More intriguingly, genetic analysis also revealed an extrapair paternity event in Beethoven’s paternal line. This suggests that a younger Beethoven might have had children outside of marriage, which contradicts his public statement on family values.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/dna-from-beethovens-hair-reveals-a-surprise-nearly-200-years-later