Mats Norrman <[log in to unmask]> on syphilis (snip interesting summary):

>...but "Tabes Dorsalis" is another form of neurosyphilis, which can work
>much more smooth and subtle in the sypthoms, and give pains, and loss of
>feeling (and similar) in (any) parts of the body, as the nerves centras or
>the nerves themselves are attacked.  The last not necessary lethal and a
>possible cause of for example deafness.

The problem is that Beethoven didn't show any signs of tabes dorsalis or
other typical syphilitic symptoms.  His doctors knew that very well and so
did his friends.  Not one of them ever said something that can be related
to supposed syphilis.  The syphilis hypothesis entered the world many years
after Beethoven's death and only thanks to Thayer's talk with Bertolini,
Beethoven's doctor in the years 1813/15, who is supposed to have shown
Thayer some prescriptions.  Thayer, not a doctor, concluded that Beethoven
must have had syphilis and that was the beginning.  And it's still
lingering on.  The background is, of course, that to this day we actually
haven't the foggiest idea about the cause of the deafness.

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