Was Dom Perignon really blind?
Many sources perpetuate the tripartite myth that Dom Perignon was the blind inventor of champagne, whose senses of taste and smell were enhanced by his loss of vision. This myth, however, is seemingly contradicted by historical fact. Not only do ancient references suggest that sparkling wine existed long before Perignon's time, but the making of champagne was a scientific process that required careful measuring, weighing, and record keeping, and it is unlikely that Perignon was blind when he was perfecting champagne. While the truth regarding Dom Perignon's blindness has disappeared during the more than two and a half centuries since his death, it is interesting to speculate why he may have lost vision at some stage of life. A brief history of Perignon's discovery of the secret of champagne and the blindness myth is traced, and a differential diagnosis is given, including cataracts, uncorrected refractive error, alcohol toxicity, and champagne-related ocular/cerebral trauma.
Bullock
J D
JD
Department of Ophthalmology, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio 45429-3487, USA.
Wang
J P
JP
Bullock
G H
GH
D001766:Blindness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005197:Famous Persons; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D006801:Humans; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000266:history; D014920:Wine / Q000266:history*