Acta clinica Croatica, Vol. 56. No. 3., 2017.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2017.56.03.18
Neurosyphilis in Anglo-American Composers and Jazz Musicians
Darko Breitenfeld
; Croatian Physicians Music Society
Davor Kust
; Clinical Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Tomislav Breitenfeld
; Clinical Department of Neurology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Marin Prpić
; Clinical Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Lucijanić
; Clinical Department of Internal Medicine, Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Davor Zibar
; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Th e Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Vedran Hostić
; Clinical Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Franceschi
; Clinical Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; 7School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb; School of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
Ante Bolanča
; Clinical Department of Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted, systemic disease caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum. Th e most common mechanism of transmission is sexual intercourse. Although there are several hypotheses, the exact origin of the disease remains unknown. Newly published evidence suggests that the hypothesis supporting the theory of the American origin of the disease is the valid one. Among 1500 analyzed pathographies of composers and musicians, data on ten Anglo-American composers and jazz musicians having suff ered from neurosyphilis (tertiary stage of the disease) were extracted for this report. In this group of Anglo-American composers and musicians, most of them died from progressive paralysis while still in the creative phase of life. Additionally, diagnoses of eleven other famous neurosyphilitic composers, as well as basic biographic data on ten less known composers that died from neurosyphilis-progressive paralysis are also briefl y mentioned. In conclusion, neurosyphilis can cause serious neurological damage, as well as permanent disability or death, preventing further work and skill improvement.
Keywords
Neurosyphilis; Syphilis; History; Music; Biography as topic; Pathology
Hrčak ID:
191653
URI
Publication date:
1.9.2017.
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