Beethoven's hair reveals surprising health secrets and family history

Interest Points

• DNA analysis confirms hepatitis B as major cause of death, not lead poisoning.
• Drinking and genetic factors likely contributed to liver disease.
• Prior lead poisoning study used woman’s hair previously attributed to Beethoven
• Hearing loss and gut problems remain unexplained.
• DNA suggests potential extramarital activity in paternal lineage between the conception of Hendrik van Beethoven in Kampenhout, Belgium in c.1572 and the conception of Ludwig van Beethoven seven generations later in 1770, in Bonn, Germany.