[Oscar Wilde. Medical observations on the 100th anniversary of his death 30 November 2000].

UNLABELLED

BACKGROUND AND BIOGRAPHICAL ANNOTATIONS: Oscar Wilde, the brilliant poet, essayist and playwright, son of the famous oculist and aurist William Wilde in Dublin, died on November 30th 1900 at the age of 46 of an otogenic cerebral abscess. By way of introduction the biographical stations are briefly outlined. In 1895 Wilde at the summit of his career was found guilty of homosexual intercourse and sentenced to two years of imprisonment and forced labour.

THE CASE HISTORY

As a sequence of the circumstances in the prison and diarrhoea Wilde lost 30 lbs weight during the first months and became very weak. Although one Sunday early in October 1895 he felt very sick and begged to be allowed to stay in bed the doctor of the prison taking him for a malingerer forced him to get up and attend the service in the chapel. There he collapsed and suffered a fracture of the skull involving the right ear, and a concussion with temporary unconsciousness. Previously there had been a mild deafness of this ear, probably a bland type of chronic otitis media. After the accident there was bleeding from the ear and suppuration which lasted for many months often associated with heavy pain. After the discharge from prison in 1897 for a while the complaints were slight and Wilde travelled around France and Italy accompanied by friends. Finally he settled down in a hotel in Paris. In September 1900 heavy earache recurred and Wilde was confined to bed. Several doctors were taking care of him. At October 10th 1900 a Parisian surgeon performed an operation on Wilde's right ear, probably of the kind that had been suggested by his father William Wilde: Wilde's incision. The lethal outcome could not be averted.

DISCUSSION

The case history is reported in detail based on the extant documents, analysed and put in relation to the medical knowledge and therapeutical means available around 1900. A successful treatment would not have been possible at that time, even under more favourable circumstances.