I recently read an article in the newspaper here in Norway, that
Ludvig van Beethoven may have been poisoned by lead.

It suggested that he was poisoned during his visits to health clinics,
but I don't remember whether the article suggested that he was poisoned
by medicines, or by the "mineral water" he drank there.  (Was it a
"good old" Kellogg's-style health clinic, or? :-) )

Experts analyzed many hairs from Beethoven to check for heavy metals,
there's an article at http://vh50010.vh5.infi.net/menu/stories/50228.htm
or  http://www.detnews.com/menu/stories/50228.htm  (same article)

This one, however, tells nothing about any health clinics like the
Norwegian article did, but suggests the possibility that he might
deliberately or accidentally have been killed by arsenic or lead.

Thomas Henden

 [ The article in North American newspapers (Associated Press, 18 October
 [ 2000) has no such speculation, but comments: "Lead poisoning may also
 [ explain what some described as dramatic mood swings on Beethoven's
 [ part."  The researchers are very curious why Beethoven accumulated
 [ "100 times" the normal concentration of lead.  The original reason
 [ for the tests was to determine if mercury was present.  -- Robbie