The Disease of Chopin. a comprehensive study of a lifelong suffering

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Victoria Wapf. The Disease of Chopin. a comprehensive study of a lifelong suffering

The disease of Chopin – A comprehensive study of his lifelong suffering

Abstract

List of abbreviations

Introduction

1.1 Methods: detailed description

Medical history

1.2 Identification and demographics

1.3 The case description

1.4 Family anamnesis

1.5 Social history

1.6 Review of systems

Attending physicians

Terminal period, death and postmortem examination

1.7 Specimens suitable for laboratory analyses

Treatment

1.8 Emetics

1.9 Herbal (non-emetic) preparations

1.10 Other orally administered remedies

1.11 Diet

1.12 Medical manipulations

Chopin’s treatment and dominating schools of thoughts in the 19th century

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

1.13 Infectious diseases

1.14 Congenital diseases

1.15 Other diagnoses

1.16 Possible concomitant disorders

1.17 Possible disease combinations

Discussion

1.18 Key findings

1.19 Comparison to other publications

1.20 Strengths and limitations of the study

1.21 Importance of the study / Implications

1.22 Open issues

Appendix

1.23 Chopins family pedigree chart314

Chart legend

1.24 Tanner and Whitehouse chart for height and weight

1.25 Sketch by Pauline Viardot Garcia, 1844

1.26 Oil portrait by Eugène Delacroix, 1838

1. 27 Chopin’s attending physicians315

1.28 Postmortem mask

1.29 Postmortem hand cast

1.30 Overview of retrospective somatic diagnoses317

1.31 Overview of retrospective psychiatric diagnoses318

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This book wouldhave been impossible to complete without a great deal of help and support ofmany people from around the world. That is why I am glad to seize thisopportunity and express my gratitude to those who, in one way or another, helped me to reach the goal.

First of all I want to thank my family. They have not only granted me spare time to work on the manuscript, but also kept encouraging me along the way, nurturing my confidence and scientific curiosity.

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Tekla Justyna Krzyzanowska (Justyna de Krzyżanowskie, as in F. Chopin’s baptismal record), Frederic Chopin’s mother was of Polish origin. Her exact date of birth is unknown, but it must have occurred shortly before September 14, 1782, the date she was christened at the parish church of Izbica, receiving the Christian names of Tekla Justyna, She died on October 1, 186163. Throughout her whole life, Chopin’s mother reportedly remained in good health64. Tekla Justyna’s parents were Jakub Krzyżanowski (ca. 1729—1805) and Antonina Kołomińska; both most likely came from the noble class. Justyna was born at least ten years after her parents were married and had at least two elder siblings: brother Wincenty, born in 1775, who died in infancy, and his sister Marianna, born in 1780. Some unverified sources (amateur genealogy forums) mention other siblings of Tekla Justyna, who died as young children, but no documented evidence was found in this respect.

Jakub Krzyżanowski, the maternal grandfather of Chopin was most notably acting as a manager of the royal estate. As the archive records show, Jakub was repeatedly involved into quarrels and legal issues over property and money. The family has also frequently changed their place of residence, most likely due to “mixed relations to their employers”. Perhaps this could possibly be seen as a sign of an instable mental state, maybe even a disorder. It is difficult to draw a conclusion now, when no direct evidence may exist. Jakub died in Świętosławice on the 29th of October 1805 at the age of 76. The cause of death was “dropsy”, a major death factor in those times. In modern terms a dropsy (a hydropsy) is a generalized edema, most notably related to a right heart failure. Mercury was frequently prescribed to treat dropsy at the time of Jakub’s death – due to its diuretic effects. As a toxic substance, mercury may have widely contributed to lethality, too65.

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