[James Joyce. Chronic recurrent iritis resulting from postvenereal reactive arthritis].

Abstract

The Irish author James Joyce (1882-1941) suffered from chronic recurrent iritis with a variety of complications that led to almost complete blindness. Syphilis and a rheumatic disease, such as Reiter's syndrome were discussed as the main causes. The coincidence of a venereal infection, arthritis and the characteristic medically documented features of iritis, including typical complications, together with the chronic recurrent course of the eye disease, are convincing arguments for postvenereal reactive arthritis. A familial predisposition and smoking could have been responsible for the unfavorable course of the iritis. There is no reliable evidence of syphilis and, above all, the multiple recurrences of the iritis are not compatible with a syphilitic infection. Even after the medical publications in which the rheumatic genesis was convincingly discussed and in the knowledge of these, art historians have held on to the diagnosis of syphilis. It is therefore to be hoped that in the future the art historical literature will accurately reflect Joyce's illness in accordance with the medical knowledge.