How did Ludwig van Beethoven die?
Tests have recently confirmed that Beethoven died as a result of lead poisoning. This was attested to by the fact that he suffered from stomach ailments for much of his life, another sign of lead poisoning. It is not known what caused Beethoven’s exposure to lead poisoning for so much of his life. There is speculation that, because he was a fairly heavy drinker, he perhaps drank from lead cups. Another alternative is that, because he had consulted so many doctors for his various ailments, lead exposure may have come from the many medical treatments he received which, in his time, were often laced with heavy metals.
