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Wednesday, September 19, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
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Van Gogh had rare sickness, KU, Missouri professors say
Since artist Vincent van Gogh shot himself 1905 years ago, numerous physicians have guessed about positional views of the brain that may have affected van Gogh's work.
By Courtney Eblen
Arnold's and Loftus' theory had been leaning toward an earlier guess made by other physicians: color-blindness.
While reading volumes of material about van Gogh, including the artist's own letters, Arnold and Lofus concluded that van Gogh had a rare congenital metabolic disorder, not color-blindness.
Arnold, a biochemist, and Loftus.
One of the most recent theories belongs to Wilfred Arnold, a University of Kansas Medical Center professor, and Loretta Loftus, an assistant professor at the Missouri School of Medicine. The two worked together on this theory.
In van Gogh's case, there have been 152 possible diagnoses. They include epilepsy, manic depression, a brain tumor, an inner ear infection, numerous eye disorders, a magnesium deficiency and schizophrenia.
Kansan staff writer
Their research garnered national attention recently in a New York Times article about physicians who use the artwork and writings of famous artists to theorize about their health.
A reclusive man, van Gogh was known for fasting for days and then bingeing on alcohol. He also reportedly suffered from convulsive
"These journals, as they say, are quite strict about this kind of thing," Arnold said.
who specializes in hematology and oncology, share an interest in art history.
Arnold and Loftus both have had other unrelated stories published in JAMA.
They have had one van Gogh-related article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association for approval at the same magazine.
Loftus said she had treated patients with the disorder that she and Arnold believed van Gogh had. She also declined to identify the disorder until the article was published.
However, she did say the illness was "provoked by ingestion of alcohol and a fasting disorder."
Loftus said she and Arnold researched their theory for a year before writing the first JAMA article, which was published in November 1988.
Arnold would not say what the exact illness was because the latest article had not been approved by JAMA.
Shortly before he committed suicide, van Gogh cut off his left earlobe in a hallucinogenic frenzy.
But Arnold said he doubted van Gogh ever painted under the influence of alcohol.
seizures.
Reportedly, van Gogh had convulsive seizures, which are a symptom of terpine poisoning, Arnold said.
--a reclusive man, van Gogh was known for fasting for days and then bingeing on alcohol.
Arnold and Lottus said van Gogh binged on other substances as well. Van Gogh was加icted to absinte, a now banned alcoholic compound which contains terpenes. Regular consumption of absinte causes stomach ulcers and permanent damage to the nervous system. Arnold said.
Although he later recovered and continued his work, he shot himself July 27, 1890, and died two days later at age 37.
Arnold and Loftus concluded that thujone, a toxic compound found in terpines, was related to van Gogh's reported illnesses.
Van Gogh, a Dutch artist, never lived to see his paintings sell for millions of dollars, as they do today at worldwide art auctions.
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IS THE ROTC PROGRAM IN NEED OF LIBERATION?
Because the Department of Defense (DOD) has concluded that homosexuality is incompatible with military service, the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program here discriminates against homosexuals when granting scholarships and selecting members. The University Council wishes to prevent the ROTC commissioning ceremonies from being held on campus as this DOD-inspired practice violates Kansas University's antidiscrimination policy which prohibits any consideration by the appropriate authorities of a student's race, religion, sex, national origin, disability, political affiliation, age, ancestry or sexual orientation when ruling on that individual's attempt to join a particular program.
Some of those in the University Council claim that this discrimination against homosexuals is comparable to the racial discrimination which existed in our Armed Forces until shortly after World War II. Yet the racial discrimination was based on the now discredited proposition that their genetic inferiority to whites left blacks unable to shoulder the burden of combat. But the DOD discriminates against homosexuals because homosexuals find members of their sex sexually attractive.
Sexual harassment, which occurs in both the heterosexual and homosexual realms, is an act of cowardice which features one individual trying to seduce another. Although opposed to the DOD policy, the September 7 Kansas City Star concedes that "the military... obviously... can't have hot romances of any persuasion on shipboard or in the barracks."
Some promiscuous homosexuals will remain geared to gratification despite being in the military. As each case of sexual harassment costs the service time, money and morale, the tax-paying public would thus be spending more for and receiving less from our military. (Those who don't consider this important should note that former Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain and other relatively big men were never in danger of being drafted because of the additional dollars that would have been required to clothe, house and otherwise treat them fairly.)
While discriminating by age and disability as well as sexual orientation, ROTC programs provide the Armed Forces with more officers than all other commissioning sources. The confused would-be liberators should allow Kansas University's Reserve Officer Training Corps to continue contributing to our nation's health.
William Dann
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