Napoleon Bonaparte died on May 5, 1821, on the island of St. Helena, where he was in exile. The cause of his death has been a subject of debate and controversy. The physicians who conducted Napoleon’s autopsy concluded that his death was from stomach cancer, exacerbated by bleeding gastric ulcers, after a huge dose of calomel, a compound containing mercury, was administered to him on the day before he died
. Some researchers have suggested that the immediate cause of his death was torsades de pointes, brought on by chronic exposure to arsenic and a medication error
. Despite the various theories, the dispute regarding Napoleon's cause of death continues, partly due to the lack of scientific medical practices at the time and the poor judgment and medical knowledge of the doctors who cared for him
