The disease and an immediate cause of death of Frederic Chopin

Authors

  • Michał Witt Instytut Genetyki Człowieka PAN, Poznań

Keywords:

Frederic Chopin, cystic fibrosis, heart, pericarditis, tuberculosis

Abstract

Based on a visual analysis of the heart of Frederic Chopin performed in 2014 and described above, it can be stated with high probability that the composer suffered from a long lasting tuberculosis as a primary disease, which was the cause of progressive deterioration of his physical condition and numerous symptoms mainly from the respiratory tract. Tuberculous pericarditis rapidly progressing within a rather short period of time, a relatively rare complication of diffuse tuberculosis, might have been an immediate cause of death. This would aptly coincide with a startling opinion that in an autopsy picture the composer’s heart had been more affected by the disease than the lungs.

Issue

Section

Articles