The story of conductor-related injury that immediately leapt to my mind was
the one involving Jean Baptiste Lully, Louis XIV's chief court musician.
Well...to the tell truth, I'm not sure whether it was he or Rameau, but
I'll go with my instincts this time.

Back in the day (17th century and thereabouts), a popular method of
conducting was by means of a large, heavy staff, pounded upon the ground
in such a manner that the intervals matched the desired tempo and time
signature.  Lully was no exception to the rule, and presumably he was a
master of the staff.  Anyway, one day he got a little carried away (no
doubt due to the ferocity of the performance, like our friend Mr. Solti)
with his beating, and, in a careless moment, perforated his foot with the
staff.  Though I'm sure slamming a large wooden stick through an extremity
would ruin anyone's day, the self-inflicted injury was doubly disastrous
for poor Jean Baptiste.  The wound became infected with gangrene, and
despite the best efforts of pre-Age of Enlightenment medical technology,
the poor conductor died in the line of duty.  Well, I guess if you're
gonna go, you might as well go in service of the muse!

By the way, if there are any major inaccuracies in that story (if it turns
out that it's apocryphal, that would be a major inaccuracy), or extra
details that I left out, be my guest to post 'em.

Wishing everyone a gangrene-free January,
Everitt Clark