Archives of Hellenic Medicine

Last update:

14-Oct-2014

Arch Hellen Med, 31(5), September-October 2014, 612-623

HISTORY OF MEDICINE

Anniversary study 190 years after the mysterious death of Lord Byron (1788−1824)

C. Tsiamis,¹ E. Poulakou-Rebelakou,² G. Kalatzis,^2,3 N. Tompros,⁴ E. Thalassinou,⁵ C. Spiliopoulou⁶
¹Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens,
²Section of History of Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens,
³Department of Ophthalmology, St James University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom,
⁴Department of Political History, Hellenic Army Academy (Evelpidon), Athens,
⁵Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens,
⁶Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

This is a study of the issues related to Lord Byron's death, the primary component of which is malaria. Byron's medical profile includes recurrent bouts of fever, consistent with chronic malarial relapses. In addition, data derived from the British medical records of the Ionian Islands regarding the endemic nature of the disease in western Greece during the 19th century, raise the possibility of a fatal re-infection with malaria during Byron's last months. The example of Byron's chronic fever triggers the alarm over a current medical problem, namely the diagnosis of malaria imported by travellers or migrants, and the need for a detailed medical and travel history, which may place the possibility of malaria in the differential diagnosis.

Key words: Greece, History of medicine, Lord Byron, Malaria.