(no subject)

[doyle]

Question for any history buffs on my flist, since I've heard this mentioned several times in the past few days and am having no luck tracking down the historical accuracy: did Madame de Pompadour have syphilis? I've found several references to her possibly dying of TB but not any to STDs so far. I'd ask on little_details but it seems too weirdly specific.

Comments

[aaronlisa.livejournal.com]

As far as I know and have heard, she only had TB.

[taleya.livejournal.com]

given the medical knowledge (or lack thereof) at the time, they don't know for sure. It's generally given that she was pretty much faithful to louis, and only really started sleeping with him in her 30's, and died of consumption (TB or cancer of the lungs)

[aelie-baby.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of her having syphilis, but I haven't studied her very much.

[paratti.livejournal.com]

I've always thought it was TB, but TB is an opportunist disease that can kill people whose health has been compromised by other bugs.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

According to the biography I've got, the most likely cause of death was TB, and since she was faithful to Louis, and Louis died of smallpox (and there was no rumour he had syphilis), it seems unlikely to the point of impossibility.