Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (10 December 1830 to 15 May 1886), was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry.

In 1862 she she wrote 365 poems, in later years she grew so reclusive that she often communicated with her family by dropping notes down through the floorboards.

The possible reasons for Dickinson's insistence on privacy continue to fascinate literary scholars. One paper suggests that physical illness: headaches, poor eyesight, rashes and finally lupus, was the key.

Under normal circumstances a celebrity link to lupus would be posted here when the celebrity has spoken of it. In the case of historical figures such as Beethoven that’s not possible so this is based on research by others using reported symptoms/medical history etc.