Glenn Miller <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>It is not possible to be deaf from oto- sclerosis and have a normal
>functioning inner ear.

Not one of the experts (medical and biographical as well) ever concluded
that Beethoven's inner ears were normal.  On the contrary and right so.
See the autopsy report.  Here's an instructive line:  "...the auditory
nerves...  were shrivelled and devoid of their sheats; the acccompanying
arteries were dilated to more than the size of a crow quill and
cartilaginous."

>Even if the middle ear bones were recovered and it was found that B's had
>the disease it would NOT be the cause of his deafness.  At this point, the
>only logical conclusion would be B had a mix loss and that it was nerve
>loss the was the primary agent for his deafness.

This conclusion is not impossible and maybe correct.  However, it's a fact
that Beethoven never became stonedeaf in the true of the sense of the word.
Even on his deathbed he was able to hear sounds, though not much and only
very loud ones, like shouting in his best ear.  Even as late as 1812/14 he
was able to play the piano in a far from perfect, but nevertheless
convincing and moving way.  And already in about 1796 the first signs of
bad hearing had appeared.

>Ive studied them all and the list of experts who pondered
>about is a long one.  Yet to this day they haven't reached consensus.
>
>Experts?----Historians? Biographers? Ear Specialists?

Both biographers and medical experts.  Many a doctor tried to find the
cause of Beethoven's deafness and many a biographer wrote about it, relying
on, of course, the experts.  BTW, if you are interested in the long list,
send me an email.  Over the years the diagnoses often changed.  A few
examples:

post typhus/meningitis
post traumatic sensorineural (see also below)
syphilis (meningiovascular, congenital, early)
(cochlear) otosclerosis
vascular insufficiency
Paget's disease
iatrogenic (what a horrible idea!)
auto-immune sensorineural

>Consensus on what? Whether he had otosclerosis of the middle ear?

The favored diagnosis is cochlear otosclerosis or otosclerosis of the
mixed type, followed by damage of the auditory nerves.  The question is:
why this damage, obviously in later years? A natural cause or not? In about
1816 Beethoven's hearing suddenly worsened.  This fact is the background
of theories about poisoning (lead or other stuff, deliberately given or
not) which can cause damage to the auditory nerves.  Also interesting is
a testimony by Beethoven himself who said to a visitor that he "only" had
suffered from loss of hearing until one sad day he fell and when he stood
up he was "deaf." Unfortunately we don't know exactly when this happened
(if it did).  Nevertheless this story is intruiging.  Did this event cause
damage to the auditory nerves?

>Let the debate continue.  That this was the cause of his deafness--I cannot
>believe that.  A few top ear specialists from major universities, give them
>the basic facts of B's life and ask them is it possible to be deaf at the
>end of his life, have otosclerosis of the middle ear (bones are affected)
>and have a normal functioning inner ear--there can only be one answer--no.

Beethoven didn't have a normal functioning inner ear, that's for sure.

Joyce Maier (mail to: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask])
www.ademu.com/Beethoven