Edgar Allen Poe's Rabies Theory

Edgar Allen Poe, a famous author of the 19th century, has always been well-known for his dark and mysterious stories. Orphaned at a young age, Poe was adopted by the Allen family, who liked him at first; however they grew to resent him as he became an avid gambler, constantly asking for money. Throughout his life, Poe had trouble with alcohol and was frequently in need of money. It seems fitting; that Poe seemed to have died in a way that no one is quite sure what caused his death, since he was so famous for his mysterious stories. All we know for sure is that he was found in a semi-conscious state in a tavern, brought to a hospital where he experienced various symptoms, and died a few days after. The two most common theories are that he died

of alcoholism/brain swelling or that he died of rabies. The most sensible cause of Poe’s death, however, is that his alcoholism and swelling in his brain caused his death, because rabies just wouldn’t make sense, he demonstrated many symptoms of over dose of alcohol while in the hospital, and he had a history of alcoholism/ his personal life was falling apart at the time of his death.
The theory that Poe died of rabies does not make sense because there was no evidence of a scratch or bite on Poe’s body.

This is essential for someone to contract the disease. The rabies theory also does not make sense because in those days rabies was a well-known disease: “Rabies was well known as to causes and symptoms, including itching and other sensations that could affect an entire limb or side of body. How could Dr. Moran (the doctor that took care of Poe in the hospital in the days before he died) and his staff ignore such symptoms in a patient?” (Pollin and Benedetto, 189). Some might argue that Poe’s cat gave him the disease, but Caterina showed no signs of rabies, and died of starvation because she was deserted after Poe’s death. There is no strong evidence to attribute Poe’s death to rabies, so he must’ve died of

alcoholism.
Many of the symptoms that Poe displayed while in the hospital can be linked back to alcoholism and brain swelling, but we must first look at the events that transpired before he was checked into the hospital. Many sources say that Poe was found in a tavern: “Joseph Walker saw [Poe] at Gunner’s Hall, a Baltimore tavern, strangely dressed and semiconscious…When Snodgrass arrived at Gunner’s Hall, he found Poe sitting in an armchair, surrounded by onlookers. Poe had a look of ‘vacant stupidity’” (Silverman, 184). When Poe was checked into the hospital he was unaware of who or what had brought him there. Kenneth Silverman wrote, “He remained thus 'unconscious’ until three o’clock the next morning, when he developed a tremor of the limbs,” (185). Also his face was pale; he was drenched in sweat, and talked constantly. Dr. Moran stated Poe addressed, “spectral and imaginary objects on the walls” (qtd. Silverman 185). These are only some of the many symptoms Poe experienced, which all could go back to Poe drinking too much, which caused the swelling of his brain. And the fact that Poe had a certain history with alcohol only proves my point further.
Poe’s life circumstances and his alcoholism both show that the most sensible reason for Poe’s death must’ve have been alcohol and brain swelling.

Poe’s life was falling apart: “Poe’s one refuge in life was threatened when Virgina (his wife) became ill with tuberculosis. When she died, Poe broke down completely” (Edgar Allen Poe, 180). Therefore he turned to alcohol to self-medicate his grief. Poe had a history with alcohol, his Uncle refused to take over his care when he was found sick in the tavern because of it: “He now refused to take over his care, saying that on former occasions, when drunk; Poe had been abusive and ungrateful” (Silverman, 185). The fact that Poe was not happy with his life and had alcohol issues show that on that day the reason he experienced those symptoms and died was because of the alcohol which he consumed in the

tavern.
Edgar Allen Poe’s death still remains one of the biggest mysteries in the history of authors, but we can use different sources to conclude that he must’ve died one of two ways. Those ways being, either that he died of rabies, or alcohol caused his brain to swell up. Each theory has many sources to back it up. However, the most sensible theory is that of the alcoholism, because rabies doesn’t simply make sense, many of the symptoms Poe demonstrated were that of which are common with large doses of alcohol, and Poe had many life complications and a history of alcoholism at the time of his death.