Ail to the Chief - A Rundown of Presidential Illnesses
We elected them to lead our country, but many past presidents of the United States suffered from a variety of medical conditions during their term in the White House, ranging from mild to serious. Whether their health problems were due to the stress of the job, a pre-existing health condition or genetics, a number of common and unusual diseases have plagued our past presidents.
George Washington - Due a lifetime of poor oral health, he had only one real tooth left by the time he was elected president. He had several pairs of dentures, and the ones he wore during his inauguration were made from carved hippopotamus ivory and gold.
James Buchanan - Nearsighted in one eye and farsighted in the other, the unusual condition caused him to slightly tilt his head forward and sideways when talking to others, which was mistakenly taken for extreme courtesy and sensitivity.
William Henry Harrison - Following an unusually long two hour inaugural speech held outdoors on a cold, wet, windy day, he contracted pneumonia and died one month later.
John F Kennedy - The 35th president suffered from Addison's Disease, an incurable disorder of the adrenal glands. He also took steroids for painful back problems and wore a back brace, however he went to great lengths to hide his ailments because he wanted to project an image of youth and vigor.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - At age 39 he was diagnosed with polio, a crippling infectious disease that he concealed so well that many Americans had no idea that he was a paraplegic in a wheelchair.
Abraham Lincoln - The tallest president suffered from dyschromatopsia, also known as colorblindness.
William McKinley - Died at the age of 58 from blood poisoning, due to an infection to wounds he received during an assassination attempt.
Theodore Roosevelt - Suffered a detached retina while boxing during his presidency
Richard Nixon - Suffered from a condition known as "furious eye blinking" thought to be caused by unpleasant and uncomfortable situations. The eye blinking was especially evident during his resignation speech.
Ronald Reagan - His struggles with Alzheimer's Disease were well known, but President Reagan also suffered from Temporomandibular Joint Disease, or TMJ, a painful joint disease that can make biting and chewing difficult.
Fortunately, advances in medicine and technology have come a long way since the first U.S. president was elected in 1789. If only William Henry Harrison had a smartphone during his inauguration, he could have downloaded iTriage and found a doctor to treat his pneumonia immediately. To search symptoms, research diseases or find a doctor, download the free iTriage healthcare app or visit www.iTriageHealth.com.
