How did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart really die?
The premature death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of only 35 has long captivated scholars; however, a research team now has a new theory. Laid to rest in an unmarked grave, without a coffin or his widow at the funeral, historians do not know precisely what killed the musical genius Dec. 5, 1791. His remains have never been found. The composer’s death triggered a theory that he might have been poisoned. Additional theories on Mozart’s death have included rheumatic fever, a disease of the immune system called Henoch-Schonlein purpura, or a parasitic infection called trichinosis, caused by undercooked pork. On his death certificate, it was formally recorded that the cause of death was hitziges Frieselfieber, referring to a rash that looks like millet seeds. However, Dutch researchers state it is far more plausible he contracted a virus while being cared for. The researchers combined data from Viennese death records from the 1790s with historical accounts of Mozart’s death. They an
