Ray Bayles <[log in to unmask]> on Beethoven's bowel problems: >Most people I know think he had divirticulitis or spastic colon... or >polyps or other digestive disorders. Yes, at first sight these look like fitting diagnoses.The problems started when he was still in teens, hardly changed over the years and though it caused pain and diarrhoea they never caused periods of really serious illnesses, as far as we know. However, these disorders don't lead to liver cirrhosis. So those who vote for such a diagnosis, still have to find another, second one for the liver cirrhosis. So then we have returned, once again, to speculations about lead, alcohol or both. Joyce Maier (mail to: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] or jev1945@)hotmail.com) www.ademu.com/Beethoven