Louisa May Alcott was a famous American novelist, best known for her classic work Little Women and its sequels. She was also a feminist, an abolitionist, and a nurse during the Civil War. She died on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father, at the age of 55. But what was the cause of her death? And how did it affect her writing and legacy? This article will explore these questions and reveal some surprising facts about the life and death of Louisa May Alcott.
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The Official Cause of Death: Stroke
According to the New York Times obituary, Alcott died from a stroke in Boston, Massachusetts. She had been suffering from nervous prostration, or exhaustion, for a long time. She had also caught a cold, which settled on the base of her brain and developed spinal meningitis, a serious infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord
Alcott had been ill for most of her life, due to various factors. She contracted typhoid fever while serving as a nurse in a Washington hospital in 1862. She was treated with calomel, a mercury-based medicine, which caused her to lose her hair and damage her health. She also had chronic headaches, insomnia, vertigo, and rheumatism. She worked tirelessly to support her family, who were often in financial difficulties, and to write her books, which were in high demand. She once wrote, “I am overworked and tired to death.”
The Alternative Cause of Death: Lupus
However, some modern researchers have suggested that Alcott had a different underlying condition that contributed to her death: lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and damage to various organs and tissues. It can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, and blood. Lupus can cause symptoms such as fatigue, fever, rash, joint pain, hair loss, and seizures. Lupus is more common in women than in men, and it can be triggered by infections, stress, or environmental factors
In a scientific paper published in 2007, Dr. John M. Greaves and Dr. Norbert Hirschhorn suggested that Alcott had lupus when she wrote most of her books. They based their hypothesis on a careful analysis of Alcott’s letters, journals, and medical records, as well as the descriptions of her symptoms by her family and friends. They also compared her case with other historical figures who had lupus, such as Flannery O’Connor and Charles Darwin. They concluded that Alcott had a mild form of lupus that worsened over time and eventually led to her stroke
The Implications of Alcott’s Death: A Literary Legacy
Regardless of the exact cause of her death, Alcott left behind a remarkable literary legacy that continues to inspire and delight readers of all ages and backgrounds. Her novels, especially Little Women, captured the joys and sorrows of family life, the struggles and aspirations of women, and the ideals and realities of the American society in the 19th century. Her books also reflected her own experiences, values, and beliefs, as well as her humor, wit, and imagination. She wrote not only for children, but also for adults, and not only for entertainment, but also for education and reform. She was a pioneer in many ways, and a role model for generations of writers and readers.
Alcott once said, “I want to do something splendid before I go into my castle, something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead. I don’t know what, but I’m on the watch for it, and mean to astonish you all someday.” She certainly achieved her goal, and more. She did something splendid, heroic, and wonderful, that will never be forgotten. She was Louisa May Alcott, and this is her story.
