• Hist Sci Med · Jan 1995

    Biography Historical Article

    [Ludwig van Beethoven: an autoimmune deafness?].

    • P J Davies.
    • Hist Sci Med. 1995 Jan 1;29(3):271-6.

    AbstractThe author reminds us of the great moments of Beethoven's life and of the different stages of his deafness onset, until to last instants. The post-mortem examination, performed by doctor Wagner, and the scientific studies of the remains, during the exhumations, are reported. Beethoven's deafness was clearly a sensorineural impairment and the previously suggested prevalent hypotheses are discussed. A new theory is emphasized, based on modern studies about autoimmune sensorineural hearing losses in relation with chronic inflammatory bowel ailment. Conclusion is that Beethoven's deafness was probably owing to a primary autoimmune degeneration of the organ of Corti, giving rise to atrophy of the auditory nerve.

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