Home
Background on ‘The Murder of Napoleon’
Montreal-based body builder Ben Weider owned two samples of Napoleon's hair that were examined by the FBI to conclude arsenic levels were sufficient to support his arsenic poisoning theory. He also amassed one of the largest private collections of Napoleonic artifacts in the world. He became President of the International Napoleonic Society, with its headquarters in Montreal, and a member of the council of Souvenir Napoléonien in Paris. A recipient of the Order of Canada, he also became President of the International Federation of Body-Builders (IFBB) and the head of his own Weider Sports Equipment Co., Ltd. He also wrote published numerous books related to fitness and strength including The Strongest Man In History: Louis Cyr, "Amazing Canadian" (Mitchell Press, 1976).
As for his theory about Napoleon, various medical experts have since put forth less sensational storylines for Napoleon's deathbed scenes than that which was outlined in The Murder of Napoleon. For instance, Barbara Krajewska has written: "There is a possible explanation for the serious deterioration in Napoleon's health a few days before his death. It has not been pointed out that the cancer-related perforation of the stomach, although sealed by an inflammatory reaction which pushed the stomach against the liver, could have caused the intense abdominal pain which we know Napoleon suffered. I believe that it was this condition which provoked the critical deterioration of Napoleon's health. A perforation was reported at the autopsy. In Forshufvud's opinion, the excessive dose of calomel given to Napoleon 48 hours before his death could explain the pathological findings in the stomach. I doubt however that the perforation was that recent because, at the autopsy, not only was the perforation completely sealed, but it was also firmly attached to the surface of the liver. This suggests that the perforation occurred prior to the absorption of calomel. The frequent illnesses from which Napoleon had suffered since 1815 intensified during the last two years of his life. He began putting on weight in 1805. This became very noticeable in 1815; he eventually became obese and died so. This important statement, particularly emphasized by the advocates of the poisoning theory, requires consideration since it is the focus of a well-known contradiction. Several members of Napoleon's entourage noted his loss of weight, not just Montholon - who according to Ben Weider mentioned it in order to avert the suspicion of poisoning. Whilst noting that Napoleon was "extraordinarily corpulent" before his death, Antommarchi also said that "he (Napoleon) has lost a lot of weight". On another occasion, he insisted even more on Napoleon's weight loss: "He has lost a lot of weight, he is emaciated". According to him, Napoleon's limbs and chest were wasted but not so much his stomach. Arnott also found that the patient's legs and thighs were thin. On 16 April, 1821, Arnott found Napoleon "thinner than the last time he had had the occasion to see him". At the autopsy, Antommarchi maintained that "the Emperor had lost a lot of weight since his arrival at St Helena (and that) he was less than a quarter of the size he was before". Furthermore, it is known that some measurements of Napoleon's body were taken at the autopsy by Antommarchi himself. One day, Napoleon said to Antommarchi, talking about his legs: "(...) they are worn out (...); you see, nothing is left: it is just bones". To which Antommarchi replied that such fragility was a consequence of the disease. In his Memoirs, Marchand gives a similar testimony. Montholon himself, talking about Napoleon's illness: "He is as thin as in 1800 and I look big and fat compared to him". Thus, no doubt remains, Napoleon did lose weight. One point, however, has not been adequately emphasized. Napoleon did not die of advanced cancer, he died of a complication of cancer, in his case a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. At the autopsy, no metastases were found except in regional lymph nodes related to the stomach. Metastases usually accompany cancer in the advanced stage. Whilst this latter detail would imply that the cancer was probably no longer limited only to the stomach itself, nevertheless it was in the early stage of spread, and it was therefore too early to expect dramatic weight loss in the patient. Weight loss always accompanies stomach cancer in its advanced stage. Such is also the case in chronic arsenic poisoning, contrary to René Maury (who claims that "obesity is equally a distinctive sign of chronic arsenic poisoning") and Ben Weider who produces as evidence a compilation of symptoms of arsenic poisoning, listed without references to the sources. I have consulted a number of works on this subject. They all state that considerable weight loss is symptomatic of chronic arsenic poisoning. At the time of Napoleon's death, due to the limited evolution of his cancer, emaciation was not yet manifest, although evident weight loss had been observed by Montholon and others, shortly before his death and at the autopsy."
BOOKS:
Assassination at St. Helena (1978) by Dr. Sten Forshufvud, with Ben Weider
The Murder of Napoleon (Congdon & Lattes, 1982; distributed by St. Martin's Press).
The Murder of Napoleon (Berkley Publishing Group, 1984). With David Hapgood
Assassination at St. Helena Revisited (Wiley, 1995).
The Murder of Napoleon (Authors Choice Press, 1999). With David Hapgood and Howard Mitchell.
Was Napoleon Poisoned? (iUniverse.com (1999). With David Hapgood.
As for his theory about Napoleon, various medical experts have since put forth less sensational storylines for Napoleon's deathbed scenes than that which was outlined in The Murder of Napoleon. For instance, Barbara Krajewska has written: "There is a possible explanation for the serious deterioration in Napoleon's health a few days before his death. It has not been pointed out that the cancer-related perforation of the stomach, although sealed by an inflammatory reaction which pushed the stomach against the liver, could have caused the intense abdominal pain which we know Napoleon suffered. I believe that it was this condition which provoked the critical deterioration of Napoleon's health. A perforation was reported at the autopsy. In Forshufvud's opinion, the excessive dose of calomel given to Napoleon 48 hours before his death could explain the pathological findings in the stomach. I doubt however that the perforation was that recent because, at the autopsy, not only was the perforation completely sealed, but it was also firmly attached to the surface of the liver. This suggests that the perforation occurred prior to the absorption of calomel. The frequent illnesses from which Napoleon had suffered since 1815 intensified during the last two years of his life. He began putting on weight in 1805. This became very noticeable in 1815; he eventually became obese and died so. This important statement, particularly emphasized by the advocates of the poisoning theory, requires consideration since it is the focus of a well-known contradiction. Several members of Napoleon's entourage noted his loss of weight, not just Montholon - who according to Ben Weider mentioned it in order to avert the suspicion of poisoning. Whilst noting that Napoleon was "extraordinarily corpulent" before his death, Antommarchi also said that "he (Napoleon) has lost a lot of weight". On another occasion, he insisted even more on Napoleon's weight loss: "He has lost a lot of weight, he is emaciated". According to him, Napoleon's limbs and chest were wasted but not so much his stomach. Arnott also found that the patient's legs and thighs were thin. On 16 April, 1821, Arnott found Napoleon "thinner than the last time he had had the occasion to see him". At the autopsy, Antommarchi maintained that "the Emperor had lost a lot of weight since his arrival at St Helena (and that) he was less than a quarter of the size he was before". Furthermore, it is known that some measurements of Napoleon's body were taken at the autopsy by Antommarchi himself. One day, Napoleon said to Antommarchi, talking about his legs: "(...) they are worn out (...); you see, nothing is left: it is just bones". To which Antommarchi replied that such fragility was a consequence of the disease. In his Memoirs, Marchand gives a similar testimony. Montholon himself, talking about Napoleon's illness: "He is as thin as in 1800 and I look big and fat compared to him". Thus, no doubt remains, Napoleon did lose weight. One point, however, has not been adequately emphasized. Napoleon did not die of advanced cancer, he died of a complication of cancer, in his case a gastrointestinal hemorrhage. At the autopsy, no metastases were found except in regional lymph nodes related to the stomach. Metastases usually accompany cancer in the advanced stage. Whilst this latter detail would imply that the cancer was probably no longer limited only to the stomach itself, nevertheless it was in the early stage of spread, and it was therefore too early to expect dramatic weight loss in the patient. Weight loss always accompanies stomach cancer in its advanced stage. Such is also the case in chronic arsenic poisoning, contrary to René Maury (who claims that "obesity is equally a distinctive sign of chronic arsenic poisoning") and Ben Weider who produces as evidence a compilation of symptoms of arsenic poisoning, listed without references to the sources. I have consulted a number of works on this subject. They all state that considerable weight loss is symptomatic of chronic arsenic poisoning. At the time of Napoleon's death, due to the limited evolution of his cancer, emaciation was not yet manifest, although evident weight loss had been observed by Montholon and others, shortly before his death and at the autopsy."
BOOKS:
Assassination at St. Helena (1978) by Dr. Sten Forshufvud, with Ben Weider
The Murder of Napoleon (Congdon & Lattes, 1982; distributed by St. Martin's Press).
The Murder of Napoleon (Berkley Publishing Group, 1984). With David Hapgood
Assassination at St. Helena Revisited (Wiley, 1995).
The Murder of Napoleon (Authors Choice Press, 1999). With David Hapgood and Howard Mitchell.
Was Napoleon Poisoned? (iUniverse.com (1999). With David Hapgood.
Submitted on June 2, 2004 in By David.
