Max Born had many bouts with asthma and bronchitis. "On graduation, Born was obliged to perform his military service, which he had deferred while a student. He found himself drafted into the German army, and posted to the 2nd Guards Dragoons "Empress Alexandra of Russia", which was stationed in Berlin. His service was brief, as he was discharged early after an asthma attack in January 1907. " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Born See also his autobiography, e.g., at https://books.google.com/books?id=wBaLAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 What if he had died young? There is the loss to science of course, but there is also the fact that there will presumably not be an Olivia Newton-John... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Newton-John