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While the anniversary of the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on 7 May 1824 was celebrated in Vienna, the debate about wine consumption as the cause of his illnesses continues. New analyses of hair samples verified as genuine suggest that Beethoven became deaf due to lead poisoning. The lead levels in the hair analysed were 90 times higher than normal. In the study published in the journal "Clinical Chemistry", the American researchers argue that his diet, and above all his large consumption of wine and medical treatments, could have triggered the hearing loss.
The scientists from Harvard Medical School conclude that it was primarily the consumption of large quantities of leaded wine that robbed the famous composer of his hearing. This is because records show that Beethoven drank a bottle of wine with every meal, which was most likely contaminated with lead. Even then, several doctors advised him to reduce his wine consumption. At that time, lead was added to many wines, especially cheap ones, as it removes cloudiness, makes the tannins appear less aggressive, makes the wine sweeter and preserves it. This practice dates back to the ancient Romans. According to scientists, lead causes stomach pains, headaches and, if ingested over a long period of time, death.
People in the late 18th and early 19th century came into contact with lead in a variety of ways: through water pipes, drinking vessels and the white lead used to powder wigs. Beethoven's high consumption of freshwater fish is also likely to have played a role, as the Danube was also heavily contaminated with lead due to sewage. However, an investigation published in 2023 ruled out lead poisoning as the cause of death and blamed hepatitis B in combination with genetic liver problems for the composer's early death.
(al / source: drinksbusiness)