Britten's death: Petch's response to Kildea

Paul Kildea provides no new facts, merely repeating conversations with those not directly involved in Britten’s care in order to support his retrospective diagnosis of syphilitic aortitis. ¹ In particular, his paperback edition fails to discuss any of the cogent objections to his hypothesis raised by myself and others directly involved in the composer’s care. Crucially, the one histological report in the medical records states that the aortic valve did not show syphilitic change but degeneration, such as occurs in Marfan’s syndrome ‘forme fruste’. This fitted the clinical history and findings, including the absence of any supportive evidence for syphilis. Hence, knowledgeable experts will continue to dismiss Kildea’s suggestion.