Boris Johnson’s Mummified Ancestor Didn’t Die of Syphilis, May Have Been Misdiagnosed With STD Due To Mysterious Illness

Boris Johnson's mummified ancestor may have been misdiagnosed and did not die from a sexually transmitted disease (STD), according to a new report. The scientists believed the culprit was something never seen before.

Most Famous Mummy in Switzerland May Have Been Misdiagnosed

The corpse of Anna Catharina Bischoff is dubbed "Switzerland's most famous mummy." It made headlines in 2018 after being identified as Johnson's sixth great-grandmother.

Her remains were found in 1975, containing high levels of mercury, which was historically used to treat syphilis. Thus, it was assumed that she died from STD.

However, a new analysis of microbes from her mummified organs revealed no signs of syphilis but high levels of bacterium previously unknown to science, Daily Mail reported.

The initial assumption of her cause of death was the abundance of mercury in her body, especially in her lungs, indicating she might have inhaled it to treat syphilis. However, there was no DNA trace of syphilis-causing pathogen in her organs, said Microbiologist Mohamed Sarhan from Eurac Research.

Instead, Sarhan and his team found abundant new and unidentified bacteria in her brain tissues, correlated with the highest mercury concentration in the brain. When the mysterious old bacteria is compared to bacteria from today, it contains similar sets of genes to those modern bacteria that cause bone lesions and pulmonary symptoms.

Bischoff's remains have visible bone lesions, known symptoms of untreated late-stage syphilis. However, Sarhan believed she might have been misdiagnosed with STD, but the actual cause of death has remained unclear.

Sarhan added that based on their analysis, it's enough to rule out syphilis as the cause of death. Bischoff reportedly lacked clear signs that usually appear at an advanced stage of syphilis.

The researcher added that Bischoff also had other health issues. She was overweight and had gallstones. The mercury treatment might have weakened her immune system, but it was not the leading cause of her death.

Who is Anna Catharina Bischoff?

Bischoff's mummified body was unearthed in a church in the Swiss city of Basel in 1975. She hadn't been identified for over four decades, so she was given the title Lady from Barfüsser church, NPR reported.

The body was discovered during renovations of Basel's Barfüsser Church. She was buried right in front of the altar with high-quality clothing, suggesting that she came from a wealthy family, per BBC.

However, after a team of researchers ran a DNA investigation, it was learned that she was Johnson's ancestor.

Bischoff was a wife of an 18th-century pastor. The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom celebrated the discovery and even reacted to BBC's report on Twitter.

He said he was thrilled about his "great grand mummy" for being a pioneer of sexual health care. He added that he was very proud.

Gerhard Hotz of the Natural History Museum of Basel, where the mummified body was kept, was convinced that she still died of syphilis, and it was kept a secret because it was a damning diagnosis for someone of her status.

According to Hotz, when people die of her social class from Basel, there is usually an obituary, but they found none for her. So, they speculated that her burial was quick and private.

Her diagnosis may have banned her from public baths and even being treated at a normal hospital. However, she didn't necessarily acquire syphilis from illicit sexual activity.

Hotz said another potential reason was being a priest's wife, where she had to visit sick people to console them. Hotz noted that someone who is newly infected could easily infect others.

Check out more news and information on Mummies in Science Times.