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Did Ludwig's angina kill Ludwig?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2006

J Wasson ,
C Hopkins  and
D Bowdler
J Wasson
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Lewisham, London, UK
C Hopkins
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Lewisham, London, UK
D Bowdler
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital Lewisham, London, UK
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Abstract

Wilhelm Frederick von Ludwig first described in 1836 a potentially fatal, rapidly spreading soft tissue infection of the neck and floor of the mouth. The condition was later named ‘Ludwig's angina’, a term which persists in medicine to this day. A gold medallist at 19 and professor at 25, Ludwig also served as president of the Württemberg Medical Association and chief physician to the royal family. His outstanding contribution to medicine was rewarded with the title Excellence upon retiring in 1855. Ludwig died at the age of 75, ironically, days after developing an inflammation of the neck. Could it be that Ludwig died of his own condition? This article combines a biography of Wilhelm Frederick von Ludwig with an overview of his eponymous condition and its management.

Keywords

Ludwig's AnginaHistory of Medicine
Type
Historical Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 120 , Issue 5 , May 2006 , pp. 363 - 365
Copyright
© 2006 JLO (1984) Limited

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