[Health and death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]

Not much is known about the medical history and cause of death of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Contrary to popular opinion, Mozart was not an exceptionally ill child and as an adult he generally enjoyed good health. At the age of 9 years he experienced a life-threatening illness, which was probably typhoid fever. On the left-hand side he had what has since become known as 'Mozart's ear', a pinna with under-development of the anthelical fold. His psychological condition gives rise to the notion that he was not exceptional, but that he responded to the events in his life in a normal manner. His terminal illness was characterised by edema of hands and feet, without any associated dyspnoea being described. The medical treatment was aggressive: enema, bloodletting on several occasions and treatment with a laxative substance. He was burried in an anonymous grave. The skull that was later ascribed to him was not his own, as no element of the denture fits with the tooth abscess he was known to have experienced. An overdose of mercury during the treatment of syphilis seems to be unlikely, as equally Henoch-Schönlein-purpura and the consequences of acute rheumatism. Trichinosis is a recent hypothesis which fits the terminal symptoms and the fact that Mozart was fond of pork. The diagnosis of his physician Closset was 'hitsiges Frieselfieber', which was possibly caused by one of the many infectious diseases prevalent at that time.