CURSE DEFIED

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1936, Page 8

CURSE DEFIED

EGYPTOLOGIST'S DEATH

Within two days of the 13th anniversary of the opening of the tomb of King Tutankhamen, in the Valley of the Kings, on the west bank of the Nile, on November 30, 1922, Dr. James Henry Breasted,, the distinguished Egyptologist, died in New York recently of streptococcus infection. . ' ■■. "" The doctor was reputed to have been the man who persuaded the Egyptian authorities to permit the excavationt His. death, has revived the story of the curse which was supposed to be associated with all. those connected with the opening of Tutankhamen's tomb. Two years ago when Dr. Breasted was discussing the curse, he said: "All Tommy rot. I defy the curse. If anybody was exposed to it I was. I slept in the tomb for two weeks and even had my meals there. I never felt better in my life." He went on to point out that a number of scientists were then working in the tomb and said they were not' afraid of the curse. Dr. Breasted, who was director of the Oriental Institute of Chicago University, was taken ill with a ■ mysterious disease on board the Italian liner Conte di Savoia in mail week on the way to New York from Rome, where he had been attending the Orientalists' Congress. His illness was at first diagnosed as tropical, malaria, but. was. later described as an undetermined malady. The secrecy which was observed concerning his illness was. maintained by the hospital authorities in announcing his death. Among those connected with the excavation. of th.e tomb of -Tutankv hamen, who are popularly described as having been "victims of the curse," are:—Earl of Carnarvon, died 1923, aged 57. Sir:William Garstin, died 1926, aged 77. Mr. Arthur C. Mace, died 1928, aged 54. Mr. J. W. H. Carver, died 1929. Mr. Mervyn Herbert; died 1930, aged 48. Mr. Richard Bethell, died 1931, aged 48. Sir Charles Cust, died 1932, aged 68. Mr. Albert M. Lythgoe, died 1934.