But every year a group of academics gather to embrace an even tougher challenge: casting a verdict on how and why some of the most famous names in history died. The case is the latest to be raised at the annual meeting of the Historical Clinicopathological Conference in the US. It’s unique,” said conference director Dr Philip Mackowiak of the University of Maryland, adding that the conference brings together academics from across medicine and the arts. “There is absolutely no justification for that diagnosis, her symptoms were not in any way consistent with syphilis,” said Mackowiak. But ultimately, says Mackowiak, the conference is not about offering a conclusive diagnosis.

Source: The Guardian May 05, 2018 06:00 UTC