How Did Edgar Allan Poe Die? Explained

Edgar Allan Poe’s final days are shrouded in mystery, with his death on October 7, 1849, remaining one of the most puzzling cases in American literary history. After arriving in Baltimore on September 28, his whereabouts were unclear until October 3, when he was found disoriented and in poor condition.

It is peculiar that Poe was dressed in unfamiliar, ill-fitting clothes, leading to speculation that he might have been a victim of “cooping,” a common form of electoral fraud at the time where individuals were kidnapped, drugged, and forced to vote multiple times under different disguises.

Despite being admitted to a hospital, Poe never fully regained coherence and died a few days later.

His medical records and death certificate have been lost, fueling various theories about the cause of his death, ranging from alcohol poisoning, rabies, or brain inflammation to more sinister possibilities like foul play.

To this day, the exact circumstances of Poe’s demise remain unsolved, fittingly adding to the aura of mystery surrounding his life and work.

Alcoholism has long been considered a possible cause of Edgar Allan Poe’s death, with Dr. J.E. Snodgrass being one of the earliest proponents of this theory.

Snodgrass, who witnessed Poe’s deteriorated state when he was found in Baltimore, attributed his condition to alcohol poisoning or complications from withdrawal.

Given that Poe struggled with alcohol throughout his life, often drinking to excess despite efforts to remain sober, this explanation seemed plausible to many.

Several contemporary accounts suggest that Poe may have encountered friends or acquaintances in Baltimore and indulged in heavy drinking.

This theory is further supported by the fact that Poe had a known sensitivity to alcohol, with even small amounts reportedly having a severe effect on him.

Some argue that Poe’s death was a result of delirium tremens, a dangerous condition associated with alcohol withdrawal that can cause hallucinations, seizures, and confusion—all symptoms Poe exhibited during his final days.

However, this explanation has been debated, as Poe had reportedly been sober for months before his trip to Baltimore, and some scholars believe other factors, such as illness or foul play, may have contributed to his death.

Nevertheless, the alcoholism theory remains one of the most prominent explanations for his mysterious demise.

Indeed, the theory that Edgar Allan Poe died from complications related to alcohol is complicated by several key details. At the time of his death, Poe had reportedly joined a temperance society, pledging to abstain from alcohol.

Additionally, John Moran, the physician who attended to Poe in the hospital, was adamant that Poe had not been drinking. Moran’s firsthand observations suggested that Poe’s symptoms did not align with those typically associated with alcohol withdrawal or intoxication.

Also, Poe’s condition seemed to fluctuate during his hospital stay. He briefly regained some coherence, only to relapse into delirium, which contrasts with the rapid, unrelenting deterioration often seen in cases of alcohol withdrawal.

This inconsistent progression raised doubts about the alcohol theory, leading some scholars to search for other potential explanations.

The debate over whether alcohol was involved in Poe’s death is part of the broader mystery that has surrounded his final days for over a century.

Given the conflicting accounts and the loss of medical records, the true cause of his death remains elusive, with other possibilities such as disease or foul play continuing to intrigue researchers.

The theory that Edgar Allan Poe may have died from rabies is one of the more intriguing medical explanations put forward. Dr. R. Michael Benitez, a physician at the University of Maryland, proposed this theory after reviewing Poe’s symptoms in 1996 as part of a clinical pathology conference. Rabies, a viral disease that can lead to inflammation of the brain, often presents symptoms that resemble those observed in Poe’s final days, including delirium, confusion, and periods of seeming improvement followed by sudden deterioration.

One of the key symptoms of rabies is hydrophobia, or a fear of water, which manifests as difficulty swallowing and a refusal to drink liquids.

Poe reportedly struggled with drinking water during his hospital stay, which could point to rabies.

Additionally, the fluctuating nature of his illness, where he showed brief signs of recovery before worsening, is consistent with the progression of rabies in its final stage.

While there is no direct evidence, such as a confirmed animal bite or exposure to a rabid animal, the theory remains plausible due to the resemblance of Poe’s symptoms to those of rabies patients.

This explanation has gained traction as a compelling alternative to other theories, though like all proposed causes of Poe’s death, it remains speculative due to the lack of medical records and definitive evidence.