Chopin 'probably had epilepsy'
The composer Fryderyk Chopin, who was hounded by hallucinations during his relatively short life, probably had epilepsy, say Spanish researchers.
The Polish pianist died in 1849 at the age of 39 as a result of a lung disease which has recently been attributed to cystic fibrosis.
But the Spanish doctors say he probably also suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy.
They cite reports of disturbing visions which the composer experienced.
Letters written by Chopin himself, as well as the memoirs of those close to him, describe the visions that invaded his life.
Ghosts and terrors
In her memoirs, his lover George Sand recalled various times when Chopin experienced visual hallucinations, including during a trip to a monastery that was "full of terrors and ghosts for him"....
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The Polish pianist died in 1849 at the age of 39 as a result of a lung disease which has recently been attributed to cystic fibrosis.
But the Spanish doctors say he probably also suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy.
They cite reports of disturbing visions which the composer experienced.
Letters written by Chopin himself, as well as the memoirs of those close to him, describe the visions that invaded his life.
Ghosts and terrors
In her memoirs, his lover George Sand recalled various times when Chopin experienced visual hallucinations, including during a trip to a monastery that was "full of terrors and ghosts for him"....