Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was deeply affected by the sudden death of his ostensibly healthy, young sister Fanny in May 1847. He nonetheless spent the following months in fruitful composition, often taking long hikes in the mountains and otherwise in good health. Then suddenly in October he collapsed at the piano with icy cold hands and feet, a faint pulse, intermittent delirium and severe pain, evidently headache. A similar episode was supposed to have occurred some years before, as well as syncope when he learned of his sister’s death. Partially recovering from this October episode, Mendelssohn suffered a second similar attack 12 days later, and a third episode 7 days later, from which he died. The diagnosis at the time was “apoplexy” which, although unacceptably vague by modern standards, does suggest that signs of CNS involvement were noted.

Mendelssohn’s parents and one grandfather were also said to have died from apoplexy, although at a later age. Supposing that Mendelssohn died of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, one wonders whether his sister also died from this and that familial cerebral aneurysm may be involved. A recent study points out the much greater lifetime risk of aneurysmal sub-arachnoid hemorrhage in those individuals with a family history of the condition.

Submitted by Ron Fishman from the Cogan Ophthalmic History Society