Abnormal morphology of the superficial temporal arteries in the nobel laureate theodor mommsen (1817-1903): giant cell arteritis (horton's disease) or arteriosclerosis? a palaeopathological reassessment

Christian Matthias TheodorMommsen (1817-1903), brilliant German historian of ancient Roman history and Nobel Prize Laureate in 1902, had excellent health in his youth and maturity but developed serious health problems in his elderly years that greatly limited his work and social activities. Prominent tortuous temporal arteries can be clearly appreciated in Mommsen's portraits and photographs. Additionally, he had recurrent small strokes becoming blind in his final years. He finally died of a stroke in 1903. Autopsy of his brain did not include a reference to the superficial temporal arteries, was inconclusive regarding Mommsen's underlying neurological disease. Giant cell arteries (GCA, Horton's disease), first reported in 1934, affects elderly people and can contribute to unilateral or bilateral blindness and brain strokes fitting well Mommsen's symptoms. Unluckily the lack of temporal biopsy findings leaves the differential diagnosis of Mommsen's disease, GCA versus brain arteriosclerosis open to debate.