Search: dylan thomas death
Why: In "10 Famous Literary Bars," Forbes Traveler said the White Horse Tavern's "most famous patron might be Dylan Thomas, who reportedly drank himself to death after imbibing eighteen straight whiskies in one sitting."
Answer: He died November 9th, 1953, at age 39. The first rumors were of a brain hemorrhage, followed by reports that he had been mugged. Soon came the stories about alcohol, that he had drunk himself to death. Later, there were speculations about drugs and diabetes, as put forth in this weirdly recent story from a Welsh newspaper. The facts seem to be:
- He had a history of blackouts and chest problems.
- He was already sick when he arrived in New York on October 20th.
- He got sick at his own birthday party October 27th.
- November 2nd, air pollution was so bad in New York that 200 people had died from the smog.
- November 4th, he canceled a daytrip to New Jersey because he was "feeling awful."
- That day, he met his agent's assistant for some beers at the White Horse, but went back to his hotel feeling sick.
- A doctor visited him 3 times that day, on the 3rd prescribing him morphine.
- At midnight November 5th, he couldn't breathe. A hotel porter called an ambulance.
- By 2 am, he was profoundly comatose with bronchitis and pneumonia. The hospital let the pneumonia "run its course."
- He died November 9th.
- At the post-mortem, the pathologist found that the immediate cause of death was swelling of the brain, caused by the pneumonia reducing the supply of oxygen. Despite his heavy drinking, his liver showed little sign of cirrhosis. However there was pressure on the brain from a build-up of cerebro-spinal fluid, caused by alcohol poisoning.
The More You Know: Edward Norton said he's always wanted to play Dylan Thomas, but probably never will, because he's not a short fat Welshman.
