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Early Presidents and Their Illnesses
Of our first ten presidents, George Washington, Andrew Jackson,
William Henry Harrison, and Zachary Taylor were all war heroes.
For each of these men, valor on the field of battle virtually assured
their election. Washington commanded the American army that won
the American Revolution; Jackson defeated the British at the Battle
of New Orleans in the War of 1812; Harrison in 1811 defeated the
Shawnee Indians at the Battle of Tippecanoe; and Taylor won key
victories in the War with Mexico.
Each of these early presidents also brought a history of illness
to the White House. Like many American soldiers of the time, Washington,
Jackson, Harrison, and Taylor were exposed to various diseases,
including dysentery, malaria and yellow fever. All of these presidents
suffered health problems during their administrations. Harrison
and Taylor died in office, Washington almost did, and Jackson was
in pain almost every day. Few Americans at the time, however, knew
just how sick their presidents were.
George Washington
1789 - 1797
Our first president almost died of pneumonia in 1790, his second
year in office. He was so ill that secretary of State Thomas Jefferson
wrote to a friend, "We have been very near losing the President".
Though his doctors thought he would die, Washington did recover
and completed two terms in office.
In March 1789, a few months after taking office, Washington was
seized by a high fever and violent pains as a result of a "malignant
carbuncle", or a large abscess on his left thigh. Dr. Samuel Bard,
a prominent New York City physician, saved the President's life
by draining the carbuncle by incision.
John Jones, M.D.
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In 1790, Dr. John Jones of Philadelphia was
called by Dr. Bard to help in treating President Washington's
pneumonia. The first professor of surgery at King's college
and a co-founder of the New York Hospital and the college
of Physicians of Philadelphia, Dr. Jones wrote the first American
textbook on surgery in 1775. |
In December 1799, former President Washington came down with a
severe cold and sore throat. As Washington's condition declined,
Doctor James Craik called on fellow physicians Dick and Gustavus
Brown for help. Washington's doctors bled, blistered, and purged
him. He did not respond to the treatment and died on 14 December.
Although the treatment of Washington was later condemned as hastening
his death, it was in keeping with the accepted medical practices
of the time.
Andrew Jackson
1829 - 1837
When he was inaugurated as our seventh president, the 62 year-old,
rail-thin Andrew Jackson was described by one observer as "a tottering
scarecrow in deadly agony." The new president was in pain emotionally
as well as physically. Not only had he just lost his wife to a heart
attack, but he was also suffering from rotting teeth, chronic headaches,
failing eyesight, and constant pain and internal bleeding from two
bullets lodged in his body.
Known for his hot temper and thin skin, Jackson was shot in two
separate duels, in 1806 and 1813. The bullet Jackson received in
the earlier duel lodged near his lung, causing repeated attacks
of internal infection and bleeding. In the 1813 duel, Jackson took
a bullet in the left shoulder, causing him much pain for the rest
of his life. It is considered remarkable that he lived through his
two terms in office.
As the result of the two bullet wounds, Jackon's health problems
became progressively worse during his second term in office. In
pain almost every day, the President in June 1833 consulted the
eminent Philadelphia surgeon, Dr. Philip Physick, for the bleeding
in his lungs. Dr. Physick, who recommended bloodletting, provided
no relief to the ailing President.
William Henry Harrison
4 March - 4 April 1841
One of only two Whig party candidates elected to the presidency,
William Henry Harrison was, at age 68 the oldest person to reach
that office until Ronald Reagan was elected almost a century and
a half later.
Due to his age, Harrison faced election rumors that he was unwell.
To discredit these rumors, Harrison waged a very active campaign
that left him exhausted. Although the day of his inauguration was
bitterly cold, the new president wore neither an overcoat nor a
hat. His inaugural address lasted almost two hours. He developed
a severe chest cold, from which he never fully recovered.
Two weeks after his inauguration, Harrison, weakened from a lingering
chest cold, took an early morning walk and got caught in a rainstorm.
The new president developed pneumonia. Harrison's physician bled
and purged him, but to no avail. Harrison died on 4 April, one month
after taking office.
Memorial Armband
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Harrison was the first president of the United
States to die in office. Many Americans mourned his death
by wearing armbands like this one. |
Zachary Taylor
1849 - 1850
General Zachary Taylor was 64 years old when he became the 12th
President of the United States. He was given the nickname "Old Rough
and Ready" by his fellow soldiers.
In August 1849, during a trip through the northeastern United States,
Taylor was bedridden with a violent attack of diarrhea and high
fever. His personal physician feared that the President would not
recover. "Old Rough and Ready" did and returned to Washington. A
year later, Taylor faced a similar attack, but this time it proved
fatal.
President Zachary Taylor
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The Fourth of July 1850 was a blistering hot
day in Washington, DC. President Taylor spent several hours
in the sun bareheaded while viewing the celebrations. Afterwards,
he took a long walk along the Potomac River. Upon returning
to the White House, the President drank large amounts of cold
water and chilled milk, and ate fruit. That evening Taylor
became sick. He was diagnosed as having "cholera morbus",
a term for intestinal ailments. His condition declined over
the next two days and a regimen of calomel (mercury) and opium
did little to relieve him. Blisters, bleeding, and purging
were also used, but were also no help. On July 8, after suffering
through four days of sharp abdominal pains, diarrhea, and
vomiting, President Taylor died. He was the second president
to die in office. Vice President Millard Fillmore served out
his term. |
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