Ways to Die: Gangrene of the Foot On Jan 8, 1687, Jean-Baptiste Lully was conducting a Te Deum, in honor of Louis XIV’s recovery from illness, and became so impassioned with the music that he struck his staff (a precursor to the baton used today) against the front of his foot. An abscess developed that night, and despite treatment, Lully developed gangrene in his foot. Several court physicians strongly recommended amputation at the initial stage of gangrene, and again when it spread to his leg, but Lully would have none of it; he was much too interested in being able to conduct his own compositions, and having only one foot would not allow that. Jean-Baptiste Lully died on March 22, 1687, due to gangrene of the foot, caused by enthusiastic conducting of his orchestra. [image: army medical center, gangrene from war abscess, 1865.]

Ways to Die: Gangrene of the Foot

On Jan 8, 1687, Jean-Baptiste Lully was conducting a Te Deum, in honor of Louis XIV’s recovery from illness, and became so impassioned with the music that he struck his staff (a precursor to the baton used today) against the front of his foot.

An abscess developed that night, and despite treatment, Lully developed gangrene in his foot. Several court physicians strongly recommended amputation at the initial stage of gangrene, and again when it spread to his leg, but Lully would have none of it; he was much too interested in being able to conduct his own compositions, and having only one foot would not allow that.

Jean-Baptiste Lully died on March 22, 1687, due to gangrene of the foot, caused by enthusiastic conducting of his orchestra.

[image: army medical center, gangrene from war abscess, 1865.]

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    This is literally ‘Find what you love and let it kill you’.
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    On Jan 8, 1687, Jean-Baptiste Lully was conducting a Te Deum, in honor of Louis XIV’s recovery from illness, and became...
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    Poor guy. :/
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