No choppin' Chopin, says Poland - July 28, 2008
Polish officials have rejected research requests to perform DNA tests on the heart of composer Frederic Chopin.
Scientists are trying to prove that Chopin died not from tuberculosis, as is normally held, but from cystic fibrosis. His body lies in France but his heart was sealed inside a jar of alcohol and send back to Warsaw after his death. Earlier this year a number of researchers announced they wanted to take DNA samples from the heart.
Grzegorz Michalski was one of the experts consulted by the government before the choice was taken to deny the request. He told AP it was the view of many Chopin experts “that the proposed research is going to serve first and foremost to satisfy the curiosity of the project's authors”.
In 2003 Lucyna Majka, Joanna Gozdzik, Michal Witt authored a paper in the Journal of Applied Genetics suggesting Chopin’s symptoms suggested cystic fibrosis. Witt still wants proof and was one of those behind the newly-rejected proposal.
“This is a very important request,” Witt says (Observer). “If we can prove Chopin suffered from cystic fibrosis, then we will have shown that a serious medical disability is still no barrier to achieving fame and success.”
Someone should tell him about Stephen Hawking, Ray Charles, Toulouse Lautrec...
Image: only known photograph of Chopin, via Wikimedia.
Comments
I agree with Michalski that the test would only serve to satisfy curiosity, as Chopin's achievements in music despite TB would also desmontrate "that a serious medical disability is still no barrier to achieving fame and success." I doubt that in his day, without penicillin to help fight off infections through childhood, someone with CF could have lived even as long as he did.
Posted by: Diana Gainer | August 6, 2008 09:31 PM