By age 42 he was nearly completely deaf. There have been a few isolated cases of deafness associated with lead poisoning, but they have been quite rare. The cause of Beethoven's deafness is still a mystery, and a continuing focus of our ongoing research. Beethoven experienced a prolonged and painful death at his home in Vienna in the year 1827. After developing pneumonia, his abdomen became painful, distended and large amounts of fluid were drained from his kidneys, liver, and other organs.
Lead poisoning is associated with kidney failure and liver disease.
The day after Beethoven's death, a young Jewish musician named Ferdinand Hiller snipped a large lock of the composer's hair as a keepsake. For a century, the lock of hair was a treasured family keepsake. During the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, the lock of hair was given to Kay Fremming, a Danish doctor who was secretly involved in efforts to save hundreds of hunted and frightened Jews. After Fremming's death, his daughter consigned the lock of hair for auction at Sotheby's in London. The new owners selected the Health Research Institute to perform non-destructive chemical tests and to direct the efforts to derive scientific information from the hair.