The natural headless mummy of a young man from the Basilica of Saint Domenico Maggiore in Naples (16th century) showed at autopsy a well-preserved fibrous liver with a nodular surface, suggesting a case of
cirrhosis. Stereo and light microscope study confirmed this diagnosis. To identify the possible etiology of this
cirrhosis, additional techniques currently used in pathology were performed.
Hemochromatosis and alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency were investigated without results. Investigation regarding
Wilson's disease gave positive results, since the use of
rhodamine staining, which is specific to detect the presence of
copper in tissues, resulted in red-brown grains at light microscopy. The positive
rhodamine test was invalidated by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), which revealed normal
copper levels in the tissues. These negative results and the clear and diffuse macronodularity of the liver suggest a case of post-necrotic
cirrhosis.