Past Pandemics: George Washington's Many Illnesses
In an earlier entry in this series, the history of smallpox in the United States was looked at, as well as Thomas Jefferson's efforts to find a vaccine, and James Madison's support for the first vaccination legislation in 1813. The disease was one which entwined itself into the lives of a number of Presidents. But perhaps no president had more encounters with deadly diseases that we now take for granted as curable than George Washington. He not only experienced smallpox personally, but also had encounters with tuberculosis, malaria, diphtheria and dysentery.
Washington is believed to have experienced diphtheria when he was in his teens, probably around age 15. He was reported to have suffered a terrible sore throat and also risked suffocation as a result of the disease's accompanying inflammation. In 1751, when Washington was 19, he has his encounter with three other terrible illnesses: tuberculosis, malaria and smallpox. Washington took his only trip off of the continental United States when he accompanied his brother Lawrence on a trip to the Barbados in an attempt to improve Lawrence's health. In May of 1749, Lawrence was forced to give up his seat in the Virginia House of Burgesses due to a hacking cough that was believed to be the onset of tuberculosis. Lawrence sailed for England to consult physicians there, while George remained at home. During Lawrence's absence, young George contracted malaria. Lawrence returned from England, having found no cure for his disease there. The brothers Washington first traveled to western Virginia (modern day Berkley Springs, West Virginia) for the supposed healing waters of the natural spa there. George was unimpressed, complaining that the waters were "situated very badly on the east side of a steep mountain and enclosed by hills on all sides so that the afternoon's sun is hid by four o'clock and the fog hangs over us till nine or ten."
Lawrence next decided to try an open-air sanatorium in Barbados where persons with consumption often went. Lawrence was 33 at the time and his wife had just given birth to a daughter so she was unable to travel with him. Instead, his 19 year old brother George went along as caregiver and companion. They traveled during hurricane season, when storms were striking the West Indies. Their journey took 37 days and George kept a log of the trip. They arrived on November 3, 1751. When they arrived there, Lawrence was seen by Doctor William Hillary, who was optimistic about the elder Washington's recovery.
Young George recorded his favorable impressions of the local foliage and tropical flowers, as well as the cane and corn fields and fruit plantations. He had his first taste of avocado and pineapple. He also saw his first stage play, a production entitled "The London Merchant" by George Lillo. He also watched soldiers performing their drills and ships coming and going in Carlisle Bay.
The brothers rented rooms outside of Bridgetown from a Captain Crofton, who was the commander of Fort James. He gave the Washingtons a tour of the island, and of other sights, before Lawrence's health worsened and he became bedridden for most of the day. George made notes of the things he saw, including his attendance at the trial of Colonel Benjamin Charnock, who was accused of the rape of one of his slaves who served as his maid. The Colonel was acquitted of the crime, but Washington thought poorly of the Colonel, describing him as someone of "opulent fortune and infamous character".
George Washington had only been on the island for two weeks before he began to run a high fever and experienced severe headaches. Smallpox was suspected, and these suspicions were confirmed when red pustules turned up on his forehead and scalp a few days later. He was confined to bed for three weeks and treated by a Dr. John Lanahan. The pustules turned to scabs, before leaving Washington with a pockmarked nose, a detail not usually shown on his portraits.
On December 12, 1751, Washington was pronounced recovered from what was deemed a mild case of smallpox. A week later, he returned home to Virginia, aboard the ship Industry. The trip home was as unpleasant as the first visit. The seas were stormy and Washington suffered seasickness. He also had his money stolen by a seaman while asleep. This was to be his last sea voyage, and his last visit away from his native land.
Another illness Washington complained of was dysentery, a condition typically defined as bloody diarrhea, which may also contain mucous in the stools. Washington had this many, many times, including when he was fighting in the French & Indian War in the 1750s. At one point he recorded experiencing the condition when he was fighting, and being in such agony from diarrhea and intense rectal pain that he needed to put a pillow underneath him to ride his horse, while in battle.
Other medical conditions Washington complained of included quinsy, an antiquated 18th century term that generally referred to tonsillitis or an infection of the tonsils in the back of the throat. Washington was diagnosed with this on several occasions. While he was President he also experienced a condition called carbuncle sometime in 1795. This was a growth on his face that was thought to be a cancerous tumor. According to contemporary reports, he endured the surgery for its removal bravely in a time before anesthesia.
Washington's death in December of 1799 is attributed to a condition known as epiglottitis. Washington was out riding on Mount Vernon on a cold winter day. When he came in, he had a sore throat and within hours he developed a lot of problems swallowing. A few days later, it got worse, and they thought it might be due to an excess amount of blood. Within 12 hours, he was bled of about 80 ounces of blood, which is 35 percent of the blood in an adult’s body. One of his physicians had recommended easing his breathing difficulties with a tracheotomy, but this physician was overruled. Reports of Washington's symptoms and his difficulty breathing have some similarities to those described as existing in patients with the corona virus, though there were no reports of Washington's condition being contagious.
Washington is believed to have experienced diphtheria when he was in his teens, probably around age 15. He was reported to have suffered a terrible sore throat and also risked suffocation as a result of the disease's accompanying inflammation. In 1751, when Washington was 19, he has his encounter with three other terrible illnesses: tuberculosis, malaria and smallpox. Washington took his only trip off of the continental United States when he accompanied his brother Lawrence on a trip to the Barbados in an attempt to improve Lawrence's health. In May of 1749, Lawrence was forced to give up his seat in the Virginia House of Burgesses due to a hacking cough that was believed to be the onset of tuberculosis. Lawrence sailed for England to consult physicians there, while George remained at home. During Lawrence's absence, young George contracted malaria. Lawrence returned from England, having found no cure for his disease there. The brothers Washington first traveled to western Virginia (modern day Berkley Springs, West Virginia) for the supposed healing waters of the natural spa there. George was unimpressed, complaining that the waters were "situated very badly on the east side of a steep mountain and enclosed by hills on all sides so that the afternoon's sun is hid by four o'clock and the fog hangs over us till nine or ten."
Lawrence next decided to try an open-air sanatorium in Barbados where persons with consumption often went. Lawrence was 33 at the time and his wife had just given birth to a daughter so she was unable to travel with him. Instead, his 19 year old brother George went along as caregiver and companion. They traveled during hurricane season, when storms were striking the West Indies. Their journey took 37 days and George kept a log of the trip. They arrived on November 3, 1751. When they arrived there, Lawrence was seen by Doctor William Hillary, who was optimistic about the elder Washington's recovery.
Young George recorded his favorable impressions of the local foliage and tropical flowers, as well as the cane and corn fields and fruit plantations. He had his first taste of avocado and pineapple. He also saw his first stage play, a production entitled "The London Merchant" by George Lillo. He also watched soldiers performing their drills and ships coming and going in Carlisle Bay.
The brothers rented rooms outside of Bridgetown from a Captain Crofton, who was the commander of Fort James. He gave the Washingtons a tour of the island, and of other sights, before Lawrence's health worsened and he became bedridden for most of the day. George made notes of the things he saw, including his attendance at the trial of Colonel Benjamin Charnock, who was accused of the rape of one of his slaves who served as his maid. The Colonel was acquitted of the crime, but Washington thought poorly of the Colonel, describing him as someone of "opulent fortune and infamous character".
George Washington had only been on the island for two weeks before he began to run a high fever and experienced severe headaches. Smallpox was suspected, and these suspicions were confirmed when red pustules turned up on his forehead and scalp a few days later. He was confined to bed for three weeks and treated by a Dr. John Lanahan. The pustules turned to scabs, before leaving Washington with a pockmarked nose, a detail not usually shown on his portraits.
On December 12, 1751, Washington was pronounced recovered from what was deemed a mild case of smallpox. A week later, he returned home to Virginia, aboard the ship Industry. The trip home was as unpleasant as the first visit. The seas were stormy and Washington suffered seasickness. He also had his money stolen by a seaman while asleep. This was to be his last sea voyage, and his last visit away from his native land.
Another illness Washington complained of was dysentery, a condition typically defined as bloody diarrhea, which may also contain mucous in the stools. Washington had this many, many times, including when he was fighting in the French & Indian War in the 1750s. At one point he recorded experiencing the condition when he was fighting, and being in such agony from diarrhea and intense rectal pain that he needed to put a pillow underneath him to ride his horse, while in battle.
Other medical conditions Washington complained of included quinsy, an antiquated 18th century term that generally referred to tonsillitis or an infection of the tonsils in the back of the throat. Washington was diagnosed with this on several occasions. While he was President he also experienced a condition called carbuncle sometime in 1795. This was a growth on his face that was thought to be a cancerous tumor. According to contemporary reports, he endured the surgery for its removal bravely in a time before anesthesia.
Washington's death in December of 1799 is attributed to a condition known as epiglottitis. Washington was out riding on Mount Vernon on a cold winter day. When he came in, he had a sore throat and within hours he developed a lot of problems swallowing. A few days later, it got worse, and they thought it might be due to an excess amount of blood. Within 12 hours, he was bled of about 80 ounces of blood, which is 35 percent of the blood in an adult’s body. One of his physicians had recommended easing his breathing difficulties with a tracheotomy, but this physician was overruled. Reports of Washington's symptoms and his difficulty breathing have some similarities to those described as existing in patients with the corona virus, though there were no reports of Washington's condition being contagious.