Which of the following association is incorrect?
Parrot in Malaysia, July 2008 (Photo courtesy of Miss Christo Lau)
A. Christopher Columbus – the parrots he brought back to Portugal from his sea voyage transmitted avian flu to him.
B. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – He died at the age of 35 years because of suspected poisoning due to arsenic, or mercury, or antimony, and he might also have had poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.
C. Ludwig van Beethoven – might have died of chronic lead poisoning and/or syphilis.
D. Florence Nightingale – might have been suffering from brucellosis she contracted from consuming goat’s meat and milk products, and later post-traumatic stress disorder and/or bipolar affective disorder.
Answer: A
Christopher Columbus – the parrots he brought back to Portugal from his sea voyage transmitted Chlamydia psittaci to him, causing reactive arthritis.
Reference
1. Post Mortem: Solving History’s Great Medical Mysteries. By Philip A. Mackowiak. 350 pp., illustrated. Philadelphia, American College of Physicians, 2007.
2. Book Review: Post Mortem: Solving History’s Great Medical Mysteries. NEJM, Volume 357:949-950 August 30, 2007 Number 9