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George Washington, beloved general and first President of the United States,
has died at his home at Mount Vernon at the age of 67. His illness was short:
after riding out in bad weather on Thursday, December 12, General Washington was
taken with a fever and respiratory problems. Although doctors made numerous attempts
to save his life, Washington passed on with the dignity and courage he had displayed
throughout his many years of military and civic service.
Washington’s close friend and personal secretary, Tobias Lear, was with
the general throughout his illness. Recounted here are Lear’s recollections
of these final hours:
“I found the General breathing with difficulty, and hardly able to utter
a word. . . . A mixture of Molasses, Vinegar, and butter was prepared to try its
effects in the throat; but he could not swallow a drop. Whenever he attempted
it, he appeared distressed . . . and almost suffocated. Rawlins came in soon after
sunrise, and prepared to bleed him. When the arm was ready the General, observing
that Rawlins appeared to be agitated, said, as well as he could speak, ‘Don’t
be afraid.’
Dr. Craik came in soon after and, upon examining the General, he put a blister
of Cantharides* on the throat, took some more blood from him, and had a gargle
of Vinegar and sage tea, and ordered some Vinegar and hot water for him to inhale
the steam, which he did; but in attempting to use the gargle, he was almost suffocated.
Upon Dr. Dick’s seeing the General . . . he was bled again; the blood
came very slow, was thick, and did not produce any symptoms of fainting. About
half past four o’clock, he desired me to call Mrs. Washington to his bed
side, when he requested her to go down into his room, and take from his desk two
Wills . . . and bring them to him, which she did. Upon looking at them, he gave
her one, which he observed was useless . . . and desired her to burn it.
He said to me, ‘I find I am going, my breath cannot last long. I believed
from the first that the disorder would prove fatal. . . .’
About ten minutes before he expired, . . .his breathing became easier; he lay
quietly; he withdrew his hand from mine and felt his own pulse. I saw his countenance
change. . . .The General’s hand fell from his wrist—I took it in mine
and put it into my bosom. Dr. Craik put his hand over his eyes and he expired
without a struggle or a sigh!
During his whole illness he spoke but seldom, and with great difficulty; and
in so low and broken a voice as at times hardly to be understood. His patience,
fortitude, and resignation never forsook him for a moment. In all his distress,
he uttered not a sigh, nor a complaint; always endeavoring to take what was offered
him, and to do as he was desired by the Physicians.”
Today, it is easy to think that medicine during the colonial era was crude and painful.
Many doctors at the time were self-trained. If he had lived today, George Washington could have been cured with antibiotics. But in 1799, could Washington have gotten better after the treatments he received?
Colonial medicine was based on European medical methods and theories. No one understood how diseases or infection spread. One of the main theories focused on the need for a total balance of tension and fluids in the body. This delicate balance was essential to both physical and mental health. To achieve this balance, Washington's doctors bled him several times. They may have thought that removing extra blood would lessen the swelling in his throat. Unfortunately they took so much blood that it was hard for Washington's body to fight the illness.
Doctors also made Washington gargle with mixtures of vinegar, molasses, and butter. These were used to open up his throat. But his throat was too swollen, and he had a lot of trouble swallowing. He almost choked a couple of times too.
Finally, doctors tried to make him vomit to take out any bad fluids. This can cause the body to lose too much water, and that can make someone sicker.
Even though Washington's doctors did a lot of things that modern doctors would not do, they tried very hard to help him. They used medical practices that were believed to be the most helpful. Washington knew that he was very ill, and he died peacefully.
* blister of Cantharides: cantharides (kan thar_ë dez) n. pl. [ME cantaridesffL
cantharides, pl. of cantharis, kind of beetle, Spanish fly, Gr kanthris, blister
beetle]
dangerous, sometimes fatal, preparation of powdered, dried Spanish flies, formerly
used internally as a diuretic and aphrodisiac and externally as a skin irritant.
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