Beethoven Died From Lead Poisoning

ABC Science News ^ | 12-7-2005

[Lancey Howard]

When the scientists opened up Beethoven's tomb he was sitting there with a pencil in his hand erasing the notes from some sheet music. "What are you doing?!", the scientists asked Beethoven. "Why, I'm decomposing, of course", he replied.

[bozzman007]

That Beethoven died. Fox is notorius for their breaking news stories that aren't "breaking".

[Fester Chugabrew]

ZZZZZinnnnnggg!

[hubbubhubbub]

Lots of lead pots and pans used for preparing food and storing drinking water.

[BunnySlippers]

Excellent point. That's it.

[sit-rep]

that's okay... the sun will rise tomorrow. I thought you may have been talking about this place, and blam posted it breaking news. in any event, i concern myself with what interests me... sorry.

[Joe 6-pack]

Masaccio, one of the preeminent painters of the early Renaissance died at age 27. As an undergrad I was in an art history class which had a number of grad students enrolled. I remember the prof introducing Masaccio by saying, "This is Masaccio. When he was the same age as some of you, he'd been dead for five years."

A humbling notion to say the least. He started this at 23....

Masaccio, Trinity Fresco

[Joe 6-pack]

"Lots of lead pots and pans used for preparing food and storing drinking water"

The canning process for food preservation was developed in the late 18th and early 19th century and metallic cans caught on rapidly as a means of food preservation (many of the soldiers at the Battle of Waterloo took rations from metal cans.) At that time, the solder used to seal the cans had a very high lead content which was prone to leach into the foodstuffs.

[Age of Reason]

Beethoven died?

[BooBoo1000]

This lead thing also was responsible for the Mad Hatter in the book Alice in Wonderland. Lead Poisening was a real danger for old time hat makers.

[BooBoo1000]

This lead thing also was responsible for the Mad Hatter in the book Alice in Wonderland. Lead Poisening was a real danger for old time hat makers.

[sullivan-fan]

Did anyone blame Bush for Beethoven's death yet?

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Mercury poisoning. Mercury was used in making the hats.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam.

Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution.

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