Famous People Who Died Of Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacterium. The route of transmission of syphilis is almost always through sexual contact. Some famous historical personalities including Franz Schubert, Charles VIII of France, Adolph Hitler, Mussolini, and Leo Tolstoy have been alleged to have syphilis. But few famous people who died of syphilis are as follows:

Famous People Who Died Of Syphilis:

Christopher Columbus: Christopher Columbus (better known as the explorer of America) was born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy. The Italian navigator Columbus sailed from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492, and discovered the route to America. It is believed that the spread of syphilis across the globe was probably sparked by Christopher Columbus and his crew. Columbus became infected with syphilis and later died of the deadly disease.

George Washington: George Washington, the first President of United States of America died as a result of syphilis. It is believed that George Washington had syphilis and he died because of it. However, there is no medical evidence to back up this claim.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Napoleon Bonaparte was born on August 15, 1769. He was the first ruler of Bonaparte dynasty. He conquered and ruled over much of western and central Europe. Napoleon was one of the so called “Enlighten Monarch”. Napoleon too suffered from syphilis and probably died due to consumption of arsenic which was used for treatment for syphilis during that time.

Franz Schubert: Franz Schubert, born on January 31, 1797, was as an early romantic Austrian composer and one of the most gifted musicians of the 19th century. He is best known for his lieder, German art songs for voice and piano. His symphonic work represents the best legacy of the classical tradition, while his songs exemplify the height of romantic lyricism. He had battled syphilis since 1822. In the midst of his career his health deteriorated. The cause of his death was consumption of mercury which was a common treatment of syphilis in 19th century.

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