Team:Paris Bettencourt/TB Famous People

English novelist / essayist

This English author, best known for his novels 1984 and Animal Farm, spent time in a tuberculosis sanatorium in 1938. In 1947 he was diagnosed with TB again. He struggled with this infection, going in and out of hospital until he died in 1950 of a hemorrhaged lung.

American humanitarian/first lady

In April 1960, Eleanor Roosevelt was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. In 1962, she was given steroids which activated a dormant case of bone marrowtuberculosis. She died of resulting cardiac failure at her Manhattan home.

Czech author

Kafka was diagnosed with tuberculosis in August 1917. He died there on 3 June 1924. His cause of death seemed to be starvation: the condition of Kafka's throat made eating too painful for him, and since parenteral nutrition had not yet been developed, there was no way to feed him

Polish composer/pianist

Chopin's disease and the cause of his death have since been a matter of debate. The terminal symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis resemble those of cystic fibrosis, which would be described and named only a century later; but in the 19th century, in the absence of modern respiratory therapy and medical support, survival with cystic fibrosis to age 39 was virtually impossible. Given Chopin's history and symptoms, it seems likely that he suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis.

French painter

Paul Gauguin had Tuberculosis but he died of Syphillis instead

German writer/scientist

German writer/historian

German writer/historian

English novelist

Anne and Emily Brontë and other members of the Brontë family of writers, poets and painters were struck by TB. Anne, their brother Branwell, and Emily all died of it within 2 years of each other. Charlotte Brontë's death in 1855 was stated at the time as having been due to TB, but there is some controversy over this today.

Vietnamese revolutionary

Russian short-story writer, playwright and physician

Emperor of the French