LAST PORTRA T LINCOLN TAKEN F IV E DAYS B E FORE HIS DEATH] [ I O F , L I N C O L N a nd D O C T O R S
A M edical N arrative
of t he LIFE of A BRAHAM LINCOLN
By
M LT N S H I O . UTEs H , M . D .
THE PIONEER PRES S New York
APRI L I 1 5 , 933 P RI HT 9 CO Y G , 1 33
BY RUFUS ROCKWELL THE PIONEER PRESS To
SI — and GEORGE and MARILYN
THIS B OOK is printed in memory of the physician s who contributed to the maintenance of the health o f Abraham Lincoln and to those physicians Who sought to keep alive the sink ing flame in his strick
en body .
AND IT is published o n the sixty-eighth anniversary f date o his dramatic death .
S atur a A d ril 1 5 1 865 . y p ,
S aturda A y pril 1 5 , 1 933 .
P R EF A C E
HE study o f the life o f Abraham Lincoln is
so unusually engrossing that any serious effort at a contribution thereto may serve as its o wn apology .
With no pretense t o completeness , this writing
a is an inquiry into Lincolnian from a new vista .
E a a xcepting the discussion of cert in char cteristics ,
a o f it is , largely , compilation hitherto scattered and unappreciated facts and bits of information some entirely new— and the weaving of them into f ’ a narrative . The medical phase o Lincoln s life should be o f real interest ; so this book is Offered in the hope that it will stimulate as well as meet that interest .
Acknowledgment is gratefully made to the en
a m t co ur ge en and suggestions of John W . Starr,
r . f J , o Millersburg , Pennsylvania , and particularly to Paul M . Angle of Springfield , Illinois ; t o the aid
o f o f Robert P . Utter, professor English at the University o f California at Berkeley ; to the edi t o rial criticism and suggestions o f F . Ray Risdon o f Los Angeles , and to the kindness and assistance of all other individuals with whom the author has
f o f communicated . A list o many of the sources information not accredited in the text is appended .
H . . M . S
Oakland Cali o rnia , f 1 93 2
C O N TEN TS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SI!
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOUR TEEN
APPENDI! A
APPENDI! B
APPENDI! C
INDE! 149
C HA P TER ONE
HE ancestral history o f Abraham Lincoln re
veals nothing that might cause the medical director o f a life insurance company to hesitate in
’ s granting a policy to America s greatest on . His
a virile paternal grandfather , Captain Abrah m Lin
- coln , was killed in the forty second year of his life
f a by the bullet o an Indi n , and left five children and acres of land . Bathsheba Lincoln , the
an d widow, well born and strong of body intellect , lived a pioneer ’ s life and died at the reputed age of
’ 0 n 1 0 years . As there is no knowledge of Lincol s
a a maternal gr ndfather , except th t he was well
a born , the medical investig tor would find nothing f o interest there . But Lucy Hanks Sparrow , his
a a m ternal grandmother , led a useful life until bout
a e f 6 1 a the g o , leaving eight children and m ny grandchildren to honor her .
a Thomas Lincoln , the father, survived the h rd
o f a ships his life in Virgini , Kentucky , Indiana and
-fift h Illinois , where he died in his seventy year ; but his mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln , succumbed when 3 7 years Old to an epidemic disease possessing
a high mortality .
From a medical point o f View the idea of family environ men t and of immediate forebears known as [ 1 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
poor but hon est is not a bad beginnin g fo r any
a biogr phy . Thomas Lincoln was hon est an d tem
an d n n perate , possessed a kee se se o f humor an d a strong physique free from hereditary disease and
a an d t inted predispositions , his wife possessed the same advantages to a more o r less degree— some
a a a thing more v lu ble than a he vy purse . Thoma s Lincoln lived with his bride Nancy in
n n a Elizabethtow , Ke tucky , for two ye rs and here wa s 1807 a a a born in their first child , S r h . If N ncy
a at . E had a physici n that time , it was a Dr benezer G dl . o o et t er . was 1809 a B He followed in by Dr .
E x e E a . a Thomas ss from ngl nd Soon after this , Dr .
o f a and E x William Sulcer Holland rrived Dr . sse left the town . NO doubt the Lincolns came in con
a s far tact with these physici ns , but , o , the records
a a reve l only one who rendered profession l service .
181 1 a a E a About , Dr . D niel B . Potter rrived in liz bet ht o wn and a a a a soon built up l rge pr ctice , c us
o n . ing his only competitor, Dr . Sulcer , to move “ 1814 n an f In , however, duri g epidemic o the cold ” a n pl gue , he died and left to his you g widow
n in u collected bills . A court commission
— a collected 5 for her , of which mount
Thoma s Lincoln paid due from a previous
a a is o f a unp id bal nce . There no record wh t his d an . services were , when rendered for whom But as
Thomas Lincoln ha d the mumps which n ecessi [ 2 ] LIN COLN AND THE D OCTORS
t at ed an operation , Beveridge suggests that it was
was a d fo r this that Dr . Potter employed ; n it may be of interest to the suspicious inquirer to be re minded that Dr . Potter did not arrive in Kentucky
a a 12 1809 until fter Febru ry , .
a n On that memorable Sund y in February , o the
a Sinking Spring F rm , four miles from Hodgen
l a d a vil e n fourteen miles from Eliz bethtown , there
had was no medical aid . Thomas Lincoln con d d si ere . sending for Dr Potter, but being already under obligation to that physician , he hesitated at
“ ’ ” LaR run in . a E n up the debt Mrs . M ry ue nlow ,
the Nolin Creek midwife , was engaged in another
n h home o this eventful date , so s e sent her young
a a w niece and ssistant , Mrs . Peggy W lters , ho , with
the helping hand of an aunt or two o f Nancy Lin
’ a coln s , satisfactorily rendered the necessary ssist
a . nce There were warm water , warm coverings and
-fl r d certainly a ho t fire to cheer this puncheon o o e ,
n - si gle roomed cabin . We know there were some “ ” and dishes a bason , which had been purchased
a short time prior to this February event . So with the help of the women and their crude obstetrical
paraphernalia there was brought into that pre
a carious world husky infant , who from the very
beginning seemed to have thrived in it .
a When the boy w s three years of age , the family moved twelve miles away to their Knob Creek [ 3 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a W . f rm , here they lived until he was eight It was during this period that one o r both o f his Old play
a a mates , Dennis H nks and Austin G llaher , pulled him o ut of the river and rolled and pummeled him until the water poured from his mouth . Here he
o f a lived the normal life a b ckwoods boy , but there is little authentic I nformation concerning him ex cept that he grew longer and faster than his com
n n t see pa ions . But they were o to the length to which his body sprouted ; that phenomenon was to
a astonish his friends n d neighbors in Gentryville ,
a Indiana . Here he p ssed through the terrible , awk
a ward years Ofm le adolescence and early manhood ,
a an d developing his long , powerful fr me feeding his
searching mind o n every printed page that he could
r find , buy o borrow .
a a - a And here , in southwestern Indi n , the nine ye r
Old lad received an emotion al shock from which he
suffered subconsciously all his life— the loss o f the
a wh p rent o understood his desire fo r book learning , and who gave him the sympathy and love that
can a only a mother bestow . T ll , thin and never
she a strong , became an e sy Victim of that mys
t erio us a m lady the milk sickness , or trembles ,
which in those days caused an appalling loss o f
. . f life Dr Theodore Lemon o Danville , Illinois ,
a a a an wrote to the Lincoln biogr pher , W rd L mon ,
excellen t description o f the disease an d correctly [ 4 ] LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS
a a a attributed the c use to veget ble origin . His
description of the onset , symptoms and course is
also quite accurate . But unfortunately the medical men of 1818— 1829 did not know the exact etiologic
a factor, which we now have re son to believe is the ingestion of milk o r meat from cows feeding o n white snakeroot ! Eupatorium urticaefolium) and
a a r yless goldenrod ! Aplop ppus heterophyllus) , no r did they have knowledge of a certain treatment that now consists in the proper administration of
a sad- carbohydrates . P thetic , eyed Nancy Lincoln ! Her end was possibly hastened by the blood letting proclivities o f Josiah Crawford o n that
a poor body already dehydr ted by the disease .
There was no physician within thirty miles o f
Gentryville, but the community had a yarb and ” root doctor of note in n o less a person than the
a a well known Josi h Cr wford , for whom the boy
Abraham split the man y rails for the rain - soaked “ ” “ ” f a Life o W shington . Doctor Crawford kn ew
- how to apply plasters and to give hot foot baths , an d wa s - a he generous with blue m ss pellets . He was also in great demand as a dentist and became
a a a adept with p ir of twister forceps for extr ctions .
An d far h not to be too behind the times , e obtained a lancet and added the art o f blood- letting to his
. a a s accomplishments On troublesome occ sions ,
a in the case of hemorrh ges , he relied o n fa ith cures LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
and charms , such as thrice repeating the sixth verse o fthe sixteenth chapter of the Prophecy of Ezekiel : “ I And when passed by thee , and saw thee polluted in thine own blood , I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood , Live , yea, I said unto thee when ” thou wast in thy blood , Live . As Abe and his “ ” o ut sister Sarah hired to him , they undoubtedly
at times became his willing or unwilling patients . Probably he had manyprovocations fornicknaming
- his whilom employer , Old Blue Nose Crawford .
While still in his early teens , overgrown and im patient o f the irksome task o f driving an unen t husiast ic - horse around a grist mill , Abe suddenly “ : ld applied a whip and yelled Get up , you O hussy . Get up when the Old gray mare let fly her un shod heels and caught the lanky boy somewhere
fo r and on his head . His father was sent hurried the senseless boy home , where he was washed and put to bed . As consciousness returned in the early
— Old morning , his first words were you hussy , the remainder of the sentence he had flung at the horse prior to bein g knocked down . This form of arrested cerebration resembles the interrupted line of thought Observed in the petit-mal ! mild) attacks o f epilepsy ; to Lincoln it was an experience that
n intrigued speculatio all his life , and he often had occasion to relate t he incident as an example of the
’ mysterious working of the brain s machinery . [ 6 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
’ f r re sheri f s wife . M s . Warnick had been quick to move his shoes and place his feet in snow “to take ” o ut - ann int the frost bite , and o them in goose
- il r - a grease , skunk o o rabbit fat ccording to the
H n custom . e had worked all summer o the Warnick
f a a place , splitting thousands o r ils nd helping with
n the harvest . As usual , every o e liked the interest “ ” a - in g fellow they c lled long legged Abe .
After the storm and the healing , he returned
a 16 6 home to help his f mily in their by 1 foot cabin .
Like most pioneer families , his folks were crowded i and ail ng . All that fall , members of the group had
f a a suf ered from chills nd fever . To combat the gue
a Of and its mal ise , they had purchased quantities
“ ” ’ a barks at James R en shaw s store in Dec tur . Barks was a mixture of whiskey and Peruvian
bark . Abe , himself , had no need for ague remedies .
This was a year of marvelous vigor and expendi
ture o f vast physical energy for him . But he had no fondness fo r building fences o r
a f gathering the harvest they enclosed . By M rch o 183 1 , he made his escape forever from farm life and started on a memorable river voyage to New Or
n 1828 leans . O a similar business venture in with
ll a A en Gentry , he had received knife slash over
his right temple in a fight with seven Indians . This
time, however, he returned unhurt and more ex perienced to tread the royal road . [ 8 ] C HA P TE R TWO
N the high banks of the Sangamon River
there wa s perched the young town of New
a a - S lem , n ambitious but short lived venture Of the
an d a Reverend John Cameron his uncle , J mes Rut 1 1 83 1 ledge . Here came , about August , , the stal
a an w rt , resourceful youn g Lincoln , Ichabod in f appearance ; sad o eye but with a wonderful smile , poor in pocket and raiment but rich in personality an d a t o ch racter . He came armed with a contract
and ne ff build manage a store for o Denton O ut , who already had sent him on the famous flat bo at t trip o New Orleans .
The stock in trade for the new store was sebed
t o a a uled arrive in Be rdstown , where the Sang mon
it s empties waters into the Illinois River, and Abe “ ” Lincoln was fixing to go fetch it overland to New
Salem . No w there lived near the town along the
. wh river a Dr Nelson , o felt himself being crowded
t o o a wa s a who was by m ny neighbors , it s id , and hankering for Texa s where the spaces were still
an d wider more open . S O he arranged with our experienced flat bo at man to help him raft his
t o household goods down the river Beardstown , where he boarded a river steamer for the South . It was no doubt a busy trip an d gave Lincoln little [ 9 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS opportunity to learn about doctors from this pe culiar fellow . Though Abe surely had met and mingled with scores Of representatives of the med
a ical profession , this ppears to be his first recorded
a cont ct with one of them . Down the river at San
amo t o wn a g , where Abe built the raft , was Dr .
n Abbott , who later moved o to become the first physician in nearby Athens .
This district also had a famous yarb -doctor
a Pan i r a n ff in J mes t e , gener lly a d a ectionately “ ” called Uncle Jimmie . There seemed to exist a mystical understanding between this unusual fel
— low and the wild life of the country side plants , birds and animals . From far and near people came
an to him t o be cured by herb d by faith . He was
a as h remarkable mong healers because , e con
id d his a f s ere curative bility a gift O God , he refused
in n all fees for its application . He lived Sa dridge near New Salem an d owned two lots across from
- a n Lin the Rutledge C meron tavern , where you g
a 5 2 a o ld coln bo rded . He was ye rs when Lincoln
a 1 h s ' w n a w s 2 , but t e e t o perso lities found much of
n interest in each other and became fa st frie ds .
1 a Har 1 3 . During this year of 8 , Dr John M rsh , vard graduate and Indian agent on the upper Mis
i i i a a s ss pp River , c me to New S lem with his
French - Sioux wife an d their six-year- Old so n Char
a Pan t iers . lie , whom he entrusted to the c re of the [ 10 ] LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS
Abe met Dr . Marsh and took special interest in
a his slim tall so n . He g ve to Charlie his first pocket knife and spent much spare time fashioning wood
a en toys for him . Dr . M rsh , the following year , became involved with his Sioux friends in the
a was Bl ck Hawk War, and five years later , he the
first Of a number of adventurer- doctors to settle
a a a in C liforni , where he became a great l nd and cattle baron and an interesting participant in the
romance o f early California history The storekeeping business soon winked out
and Lincoln was casting about fo r a new job when
Black Hawk in 183 2 started a little war in northern
Illinois and gave Lincoln an opportunity t o become
a a a feder l employee . First he soldiered with the r nk
of captain and later he reenlisted as a private .
a While c ptain , his regimental surgeon was Dr .
. E a a Jacob M rly , but as a priv te , medical care
a . E must have come from the s me Dr arly , now his
n captain . His only hardship seemed to co sist in f the burying o five scalped soldiers , and his only
bloodshed was that from the bites o f mosquitoes .
He returned in three months to New Salem , fired
with a political ambition that never ceased its
urgings . Being now politically minded , he tried
fo r the state legislature ; but he was in suflicient ly
n n k ow in his county and unseasoned in politics ,
a s a and w defe ted . [ 1 1 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a a This first politic l reverse , dded to his problem o f a a f d r s making a livelihood , bec me source o ep e sion to him and a worry to his friends . This is apparently the first o f many periods o f mental
f an depression so familiar to students O Lincolni a . Among his rapidly growing circle o f frien ds ! he possessed a genius for acquiring them) there was
wh a a a Dr . Jason Duncan o pr cticed in New S lem f r a o a short time and then moved to Wars w , Illi
n wh nois . Duncan is the only doctor of medici e o has left any memoirs o f the young Lincoln and is
’ the authority for the statement Of Lincoln s marked depression over his situation in the spring
f 183 3 . . a o But friends , headed by Dr Dunc n , 7 183 3 maneuvered things so that by May , , Lin l coln was made vi lage postmaster . He retained this 3 0 1 83 6 position until May , , when the postal “ ” business also winked o ut as the little town weakened prior to its eventual extinction . His small post office income was soon amplified
a by another stipend . The Bl ck Hawk War had advertised Illinois , and as immigration increased
as a there w an increased dem nd for surveying . f John Calhoun , county surveyor, was in need o a deputy and the studious Abe was promptly ap
six pointed before he knew a rod from a line . In
a a and weeks Of close pplic tion , working all day
a n far into the night , he m stered the book o survey [ 12 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
ing lent him by Mr . Calhoun . This he did with the
’ loyal help o f that unsung hero o f Lincoln s New
Salem days , the pioneer schoolmaster, Mentor
e f Graham . No w w find the two great men o the town much together, Graham the teacher, and
o f Lincoln the student . But these hours work and study left him hollow eyed and ill looking . His friend , Dr . Duncan , offered warnings as well as help in his studies . He it was who introduced to Lincoln the poem that forever after has been co n “ sid r d : wh e e his favorite , beginning Oh , y should the spirit of mortal be proud !
Illustrating o ne o f many ways by which young Lincoln made and cemented friendships is the story o f his meeting with a young physician , Dr .
Charles Chandler from Woodstock , Connecticut , who in 183 2 had entered one and a half sections o f Sangamon land near the town later kn own as
Chandlerville . According to an unwritten pioneer law, this gave him an option o n 80 acres adjoining his o wn . A friend and neighbor from Connecticut was offered o ne-half of these choice 80 acres by
. t Dr Chandler as an inducement o locate near by , but the friend wanted the whole o f it and an n ounced his intention o f immediately driving to S ffi pringfield to enter it in the land O ce fo r himself .
Dr . Chandler borrowed some extra currency ,
l a quick y saddled his horse , and started by shorter [ 13 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
and more familiar route to the county seat . When a few miles from Springfield , he overtook two men
a a o n horseback nd while resting his horse , expl ined
a One a his need fo r h ste . of the two men bec me indignant and Offered to lend him his fresher
n a mou t , but Dr . Chandler with much appreci tion o f the Offer declined it as unnecessary and hurried
a a o n to be t his selfish friend by n hour .
a . a o n Some time l ter , Dr Ch ndler , summoning
’ is a wa s Calhoun s deputy t o survey h l nds , surprised
to find him the same man who ha d Offered to swap
a a horses . When years l ter he rel ted this story to his
- - in . . . . a be daughter law, Mrs S L B Ch ndler, closed “ a I a a with the st tement , bec me Lincoln man then ”
M rs . and I have been o ne ever since . Chandler
a dds that this was the beginning o f a lifelong friendship between the two men and accords with
’ the facts o f Father Chandler s substantial aid in
’ Lincoln s campaign for the presidency and his
being his guest at the first inauguration .
’ n Following Mr . Lincol s term in Congress he
remained in the East for a while campaigning for
Z a a achary Taylor, the Whig c ndid te for the
a a a . presidency . Dr . Ch ndler was ble to cont ct Mr Lincoln with Eastern friends and relatives Of in
fluence - in -law n , especially his brother , the Ho or
n a able Linus Child , chairman Of the Whig Ce tr l
a . Committee , who person lly introduced Mr Lin [ 14 ]
LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
a coln at Lowell , Massachusetts , meeting ; and
a more particul rly with another relative , Henry
f New York I n e Chandler Bowen , editor o the d
en en wh n a an d ro p d t , o became active in origi ting p
1860 t o . n t mo t ing the invitation , in , Mr Li coln , o deliver a lecture in New York City . This lecture became famous as the Cooper Institute Speech , which was largely instrumental in paving the w ay to the Republican nomination in Chicago . Another physician resident in New S alem about
1 2 a wh 8 9 was a Dr . Fr ncis Regnier, o lived and died near the banks Of the Sangamon and who had a a a f a l rge sh re o the county pr ctice . He resided for
a a Short time only in New S lem , movin g three
a a a miles w y to Cl ry Grove , a neighboring settle
wa s a ment , and finally to Petersburg . Dr . Regnier fat a , eccentric and witty m n . When his horse once
o ut o f ran away with him , he stuck his big leg his sulky against a sapling t o check the horse and had
a s his leg broken . While it w being set he kept the surgeon and helpers roaring with laughter at his
f a stream of wit . There is no record o his cont ct with
a a Lincoln in New S lem , but it is highly improb ble
a a man a a a th t such would f il t o be ttr cted by , and
- a ao to , the story telling Lincoln . Th t they were
uaint ed ma q at this time y be inferred , however, from the fact that later Mr . Lincoln tried a lawsuit for Dr . Regnier . [ 15 ] L INCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a was Another acquaint nce Dr . Newton ! or
Richard E . ) Bennett at whose tavern young Lin
coln Often stayed but o f whom there is no informa tion other than that he was the first doctor to
. a locate in Petersburg Seven miles aw y was Dr . David Meeker who located at Indian Creek in 1 32 8 . He too would seem to have been an in evit able contact since he was a schoolmaster as well as a practicing physician .
o f Abe was liked by all his acquaintances , so politics easily became his profession and a seat in the state legislature a matter of waiting only for
a the next election . But during th t time he wa s
an d busy making friends , and fighting whipping
n all comers with pugnacious i tent , even subduing the notorious Clary Grove gang . He studied , de
a bated , performed feats of gre t strength , and fell
at a an in love , at first secretly dist ce and then ,
a an d with a clear field ahe d , openly ardently . The love between Ann Rutledge an d young
Lincoln was a beautiful but short poem o f sprin g
flowers , hopes , plans and tragedy . In the spring and summer o f 183 5 in central Illinois there were heavy rains followed by great heat . This , as the early settlers correctly believed , contributed to ” “ ” an d t malaria , bilious fever , brain fever, y
no w a pho id fever . We know th t those weather con dit io n s were favorable to the rapid breedin g of [ 16 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
mosquitoes and flies and they in turn were re
sponsible for malarial and typhoid fevers . Ann
’ fl r d o f probably su e e , as most the settlers did , from
malaria ; but as some of the o ld contemporaries o f “ ” New Salem asserted that she died o f brain fever
and some called it typhoid , we may assume that it
s was typhoid because o many others , including
her father, died o f fever that summer . There was
quinine t o combat malaria but those who survived
typhoid fever did so in spite of their doctors .
’ Ann s death was a tremendous shock to her
young lover, then in the rainbow mists of his first
a great love , and it c me when he was least prepared f physically t o meet it . He had been su fering from chills and fever every other day fo r some weeks
’ prior to Ann s illness , but with the help of Peru
a a vian b rk , boneset tea , j lap and calomel he was
able to help nurse the stricken , make calls with Dr . f Allen and even to construct co fins . Added to this
’ strain came the gripping worry o f Ann s illness and
the final agony o f her passing . He returned from
we the little Concord burial plot at Sand Ridge ,
- are told , bowed down with heart ache , and desert ing the haunts of men , he wandered about over the hills and through the woods and by the river banks .
There grew in him a bitter antagonism toward the
Go d r he believed in , fo he had been taught that death was often the direct act of a wise God as [ 17 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a be punishment to loved ones , de d or alive . Thus fo led an d gg with grief resentment , he neither ate
an d a a a a nor slept , g in his friends bec me larmed ,
is a this time for h re son .
a His good friend , Dr . John Allen , a wise m n as
a s a well a skillful physici n , took him in charge . He explained that death was always caused by natural
a agents , by fixed l ws made in the beginning of things . Lincoln was quick to react to the preposter ous a ssumption that the Creator of the universe would single o ut his unimportant self fo r chasten ing . Dr . Allen then conspired with the hospitable
f a n wife o Bowling Green , whose c bin still lea s by
r n the highway , to care fo the distracted fellow . Au t
Polly took him in and mothered him until he be
a a a a s . c me himself g in , and until , Dr Allen ordered , he had passed three consecutive weeks WI t ho ut a chill .
’ There existed a mutual afl ect io n between Lin
a coln and Dr . Allen that makes necess ry a word
a man f concerning the doctor . He was o medium
an a an d a a height d of light fr me , he w lked with
wa s a a Of a slight limp . He a gr du te D rtmouth Col
a a 183 0 lege and he c me to New Salem bout , pur
a chased a lot o n M in Street from the herb doctor,
Pan i r and James t e , built a three room log house , soon became the busiest physician in that general
’
a a . community , and New S lem s le ding citizen In [ 18 ] DR . JOHN ALLEN EARLY FRIEND L NCOLN [ , O F I ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
settlers so he accepted dressed hogs at the market
n a price , cut them into lard and baco , built smoke
wn house of his o design , and in the spring shipped
an d the cured products by river to St . Louis New
a a 1840 Orle ns , where he Obtained c sh . In , when
a a New S lem f iled , he moved two miles away to the f 1860 new town o Petersburg and died there about .
a Dr . Allen was gre tly respected for his strength
o f character an d was none t o o popular with many
because o f his decided anti - slavery principles and
his constant vigorous protest again st the un iversal
a drinking habits of the time . It is s id that he ex
ert ed a greater moral influence than all the
a pre chers in his community . Looking at this
n a frie dship , it is safe to conclude th t no man ,
a certainly no medical man , ever exerted greater
and deeper influence on Abraham Lincoln than
this shrewd , strong principled physician .
’ a f Dr . Allen s n me suggests that o his Petersburg
a a n associ te , Dr . Cabanis , and th t name , in tur ,
’
a a a a . rec lls Dr . C b nis subsequent p rtner , Dr Ben
a a a j min F . Stephenson , gr du te of Rush Medical
College and later Major Stephenson , surgeon in the Fourteenth Illin ois Regiment an d known to history a s the founder o f the Grand Army o f the
a a Republic . Th t Dr . Stephenson had ide s and courage is suggested by the a dvertisement o f his in tention to limit his practice to those who paid [ 20 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
n their bills , for he inserted the followi g announce
M enard Ca I ndex a 15 ment in the ! ) for M rch , “ 1860 : B . F . Stephenson , M . D . , will continue the practice o f medicine and surgery in Petersburg to all those who WILL PA Y him . We may now assume that to all outward ap
ranc pea e Lincoln was soon well in body and mind, for Within the year we find him conducting a half
o f hearted courtship with Mary Owen Kentucky ,
was a who visitor in the home Of her sister, the
’
f . wi e Of another friend of Lincoln s , Dr Bennett
a Abell . Dr . Abell pr cticed medicine in the com
r mun ity fo many years and , we may easily believe ,
’ a dded to Lincoln s favorable impression of doctors a nd their profession . In 183 6 Lincoln himself recorded a period of ill ness lasting about a week , when he wrote from the t state capitol , then at Vandalia, o Mary Owen at New Salem 13 1 3 6 Vandalia , December , 8 Mary I have been sick ever Since my arrival o r I should have written sooner y o u recollect that I men t ioned at the outset o f this letter that I had been unwell . That is the fact , though I believe I am about well now, but that with other things I cannot account for have conspired and have gotten my spirits S O low that I feel that I would rather be any
a pl ce in the world than here . I really can not eu
Of a dure the thought st ying here two weeks . [ 21 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
This is the third recorded period o f marked de pression that is to be so familiarly associated with
ar him . Again illness , and Mary Owen this time, e factors in precipitating the depression .
[ 23 ] C HA P TE R TH R EE
a 183 N M rch , 7 , fortified by a certain political
prestige a cquired at Vandalia a s a member of
am the famous Long Nine assemblymen , Lincoln bled into the newly made Capitol of Illinois on a
a borrowed horse , lighter in purse th n when he climbed the bluff into New Salem six years be
wa s f fore . Springfield his city O opportunity ; he had just received his license to practice law an d
r fo the next few years we find him , in the words “ f wa o Joseph Fort Newton , making his y slowly ,
a . a unhappy , and ambitious , lone Inured to h rdship
a and poverty , r rely ill , being a man of regular
a f h bits ; wiry and stalwart , beyond the best o west ” ern men .
20- - ld After two lonesome years , year o Mary
a Todd c me to Springfield from Lexington , Ken tucky . Witty , caustic , impulsive and lovable , she
a soon c st a spell over the younger men of the town . E A friend of Lincoln , Dr . . H . Merryman , wrote a poem about this vivacious lady that finally found its way into the Journ al of the I llinois S tate His torical S ociet y . It was inevitable that the now well
- known , woman shy assemblyman should be at
a tr cted to her , and by his uncommonness draw the
o f fire her interest . There soon followed a stormy [ 23 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS romance and engagement which came to a sudden
o n da end the very y of the scheduled wedding , the “ a f a a fat l first o J nu ry ,
wa s 6 4 a Lincoln feet and inches t ll , homely and
n n e n a gawky , and o o k ew it more thoroughly th n
a was himself . He lso knew that he deficient in
a a and . n schooling , soci l gr ce , poise He was o t un mindful o f the fact that he came from a generation Of poor folk and that a link in his near ancestry was
an missing . Mary Todd came from an Old d well to - do family o f Kentucky and She was a part of the socially and politically prominent Edwards family i . a co nsc en Of Illinois It was inevit ble that the shy , tious , introspective Lincoln should develop acute
cn fears and forebodings , and that the depression
c m lexes m in gendered by those o p , eet g with the com pulsion of his desire an d his ambition should result in an emotional conflict o f a disturbing nature . “ ” The word fatal as applied to that New Year
’ wedding date was Lincoln s o wn . He immediately sank into a deep mire of despondency in which the blue devils harassed his soul . Herndon and others believed him within the mists of insanity , and knives and razors were kept away from him . It is asserted that he himself feared the danger of self- destruction and fo r that reason carried no
ac pocketknife for months thereafter . However, cording t o his old friend Orville H . Browning, this [ 24 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
illness lasted at its worst only a week , during which “ time he was incoherent and distraught I “ n was an int en think, said Mr . Brow ing , it only sificat ion o f his constitutional melancholy ; his trials and embarrassments pursued him down to a ” lower point than usual . It was about this time— early in January of
— a 1 841 that Lincoln wrote to Dr . D niel F . Drake , dean of the medical department o f the College o f
Cincinnati , a man who deservedly enjoyed a splen
a did reputation throughout the gre t West . In a long letter, Lincoln described his symptoms and asked Dr . Drake to suggest a line of treatment , but the doctor replied that it would be impossible to prescribe Without a personal interview, which
a would naturally include a physical ex mination .
Abraham Lin oln a Beveridge , in his c dds this foot “ note : Daniel Drake was the author Of Pioneer
L e in Kentuck if y , so frequently cited in chapter II
wa s 5 5 o f this volume . He about years old when
Lincoln wrote him , the acknowledged head o f his
profession and greatly admired and respected . Few men have had a more brilliant career . Lincoln coul d no t possibly have done better than t o have gone to Cincinnati and personally consulted this wise , experienced , and highly educated physician , ” was and it a serious mistake that he did not do so . Beveridge seemed to be concerned about a “dis [ 25 ] LINC OLN AND THE DOCTORS ease that Lincoln wa s apparen tly greatly worried about at this particular time . But the evidence points to nothing other than hypochondriasis ,
Wherein one believes himself t o be suffering from
a a some nonexistent dise se . The dist nce to Cin cinnat i a in 1841 was compar tively great , and Lin coln evidently considered his condition not suffi cient l a an y grave to warr nt the time d expense . A record of a physical and mental examination by a
’ ma a n Of Dr . Dr ke s experience and learning would f have been o much value , particularly to historians seeking a medical background .
Lincoln had the good sense to turn no w to his friend and competent physician , Dr . Anson G .
. 0 1841 Henry On January 2 , , he wrote to congress f man John T . Stuart O Springfield , then in Wash ingt o n :
Dear Stuart I have had no letter from you since y o u left no matter fo r that— what I wish now is to speak o f o ur Post Office . You know I desired Dr . Henry to have the place when you left ; I now desire it more than ever— I have within the la st few days been making a most discreditable exhibition o f myself in the way o f hypo chro ndrism and thereby go t an impression that Dr . Henry is necessary to my existence- unless he gets that place he leaves
Y u see Springfield . o therefore how much I am interested in the matter . [ 26 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
a a dria, neurastheni , or psychoneurosis , it has fe r
a as a dominant element , and is c used by overwork
and worry . As a rule , it is accompanied by varying degrees of emotional depression ; the patient is un happy and is often made so because o f a hyper
f s u conscientiousness . The symptoms o p ycho ne rosis are difficult to describe because they vary greatly and depend largely o n the personality o f
ur a the patient . With o knowledge of Lincoln we c n readily picture him during this period of work ,
worry , fear, inferiority , and other complexes , as ff su ering from that particular infliction .
wa f By y o treatment , his fears must first be
quieted ; his nutrition must be improved and , as
t a all physicians from Sydenham o Osler h ve urged ,
f r f he must plan o a change o scene and climate , for new faces and novel surroundings . SO Lincoln was
was told o f that which ailed him . Lincoln a man of intelligence, and Dr . Henry must have given him a f i careful reasoned explanation o his cond tion . For he referred to his illness correctly as a “nervous ” “ ” debility , and derisively as the hypo ; and he began to improve .
We shall see now how well Dr . Henry brought
a a his patient along . Three d ys fter writing to Ma f jor Stuart , Lincoln finds himself su ficiently com posed to write him a long letter, mostly of political matters , and devotes a little more than one para [ 28 ] LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
graph t o his health . The latter is still quite de
’
l rable . p o , but he is entertaining Dr Henry s idea “ ” a 23 1841 of a change o f scene . On J nuary , , Lin coln wrote his friend
Dear Stuart
3 rd r Yours o f the instant is received , and I p o ceed to answer it as well as I can , though from the
a deplorable state o f my mind t this time , I fear I shall give you but little satisfaction . a f For not giving you a general summ ry o news , you must pardon me ; it is no t in my power to do .
w . If so . I am no the most miserable man living what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family , there would not be one cheerful
n . face o the earth Whether I shall ever be better,
. a T I cannot tell I wfully forebode I shall not . o remain as I am is impossible ; I must die o r be better, it appears to me . The matter you speak o f o n o u u sa my account y may attend to as y o y , u f unless yo shall hear o my condition forbidding it . I say this because I fear I shall be unable to attend f to any business here , and a change o scene might
a help me . If I could be myself, I would r ther re at main home with Judge Logan . I can write no more .
Your friend as ever, L A . INCOLN .
5 1841 On February , , he again wrote to Major
Stuart but does not mention his health this time , which is evidence of further improvement . [ 99 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
The only really intimate friend that Lin coln ever
wa s . possessed Joshua F Speed , the young man who a few years before had Shared his bed with
a had the penniless young str nger . Speed invited him to visit his home in Louisville , Kentucky , to
a which pl ce , as soon as his work permitted , in mid
luxur summer , the still distraught man fled . A few
ious weeks o f changed climate and scenery o n tha t
a a f Southern pl ntation , bit o mothering from the parent who presented him with an Oxford Bible as “ ” something good for the blues , the tonic com panio n ship of the Sister and the sympathetic under “ standing of the friend himself were as a balm in ” a Gile d to him . He returned with his friend to
an d set o n . Springfield , once more restored his feet
a Yet there had been an annoying fly in the b lm . d He had had a bad time with a Louisville entist .
’ In a long , interesting letter to Speed s sister , Mary , he writes
a n o n e when we re ched Spri gfield , I stayed but w day , when I started o n this tedious circuit here I u now am . Do y o remember my going to the city while I wa s in Kentucky to have a tooth extracted
in a a f ! a and mak g f ilure o it Well , that s me Old tooth got to paining me so much that about a ad a week since I h it torn out , bringing with it bit
aw- of the j bone , the consequence of which is that my mouth is now so sore that I can neither talk [ 3 0 ] LIN COLN AN D TH E D OCTORS
‘ o n r no r eat . I am literally subsisting savory e ’ membrances .
By the middle of Oct ober, he was again busy in the game of politics and in the pursuit o f his pro
t o fessio n . And though his mind continued brood ,
a time and work , the great palli tives , were having
who their way . So that when he wrote to Speed ,
n Febru had gone again to his Kentucky home , o “ 8 1842 Y u f o n ary , o know the hell I have suf ered “ hat oint t p , he could add , I have been quite clear
‘ ’ o f hypo since yo u left ; even better than I was ” along in the fall .
o n an And then the thirteenth , he postscripts “ other letter, I have been quite a man since you ” wa s left . And so he . During June , Martin Van
Buren , the former president , was entertained in
Rochester, Illinois , by a group o f politicians which “ wh c n included Lincoln , o kept the company o vulsed with laughter till the small hours of the ” night . Mr . Van Buren later stated that he had
never spent so agreeable a night in his life . And in September— over some newspaper chafling of the
a Honor ble James Shields , which involved Mary “ ” Todd and her friend Julia Jayne — he fought the
- -fi d broad sword duel with two st e Dr . Merryman
as his second . But his nimble wit turned a serious ff a air into a farce . [ 3 1 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a Lincoln , indeed , seemed to be himself gain . But
was n shrewd Dr . Henry evidently thi king of a more complete cure for his hypochondriacal pa
a f tient . By f ll , in the home o a certain incorrigible
- ' match maker o f Springfield , Lincoln and Mary
Todd were once more brought together . Dr .
’ Henry s efforts were soon rewarded ; for o n No vemb r 4 1842 - a e , , in his thirty third ye r , Lincoln and Mary Todd were quietly united for better ”
r . so o worse As William E . Barton aptly ex
“ presses it : These t wo people who were so divinely created to irritate each other, were also constituted in such fashion as to be necessary to each other ’ s ” a n was comfort and peace . Abr ham Li coln an introvert and Mary Todd an extrovert ! One week “ n ew later he wrote a friend : Nothing here , except
o f my marrying , which to me , is a matter profound ” n wonder. From now o , Lincoln had something to thin k of outside o f himself . Mary Todd Lincoln
a s w to that .
’ Lincoln s attack o fhypochondriasis was second “ ” ary to his forebodings over Mary Todd , and had as an underlying predisposing factor, a psycho neurotic temperament . C HA P TE R F O UR
KOEPT fo r frequent lapses into his habitual
a o fits of dejection , precipit ted mostly by p
li i l a a t ca setbacks nd minor annoy nces , Lincoln , during the ensuing fifteen years o f discipline and ff development , did not su er any other intense
shock t o his mental equanimity until the death o f his favorite son William in 1862 . This depressive phase in his character has al
ways been a source o f much interest and specula f tion to his friends and to students o his life . Jesse
W . Weik , who collaborated with William H . Hern
’ do n in f Lincoln the writing o Herndon s , has the following to say concerning that phase
The most marked and prominent feature in Lin ’ coln s organization was his predisposition to melan
ho l r c y o at least the appearance thereof , as indi cat ed by his facial expression when sitting alone and thus shut o ff from conversation with other a s people . It was a characteristic as peculiar as it w
pronounced . Almost every man in Illinois I met ,
including not only Herndon but John T . Stuart ,
a . Samuel H . Treat , J mes C . Conkling , James H
Matheney , David Davis , Leonard Swett and
f . N was Henry C . Whitney , reminded me o it o o ne
a able to determine what c used it . Stuart and
Swett attributed it to defective digestion ; in fact , [ 3 3 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
’ Stuart told me and Herndon that Lincoln s liver ‘ failed to function properly . It did not secrete ’ ‘ a an d in bile , he s id , his bowels were equally
I t was a ad active . this th t made him look so s and ’ wa s depressed . That my notion , and I remember I talked to him about it and a dvised him to resort
- wa s to blue mass pills , which he did . This before
a n a t o he went to W shington . Whe I c me on Con 1 863 gress in , he told me that for a few months
is after h inauguration as President , he continued
a the pill remedy , but he was finally forced to ce se because it wa s losing its efficacy besides making ” him more o r less irritable .
’ Inquiry o n this subject a mong Lincoln s close friends convinced Weik tha t men who never saw
Lincoln could scarcely realize this tendency to mel anch l a s o y , not only reflected in his facial expression but a s it affected his spirits an d well being . Robert
w o f L . Wilson , ho was a member with Lincoln the 183 6 Illinois Legislature in , wrote thus to Herndon , 10 1866 February ,
a a a a Mr . Lincoln told me th t lthough he ppe red to
wa s o f enjoy life rapturously , still he the Victim
a in terrible mel ncholy . He sought company and dulged in fun and hilarity Without restraint or stint as to time ; but when by himself he told me that he was so overcome by mental depression he
a a a n is never d red c rry k ife in h pocket , and as long as I was intimately acquainted with him [ 3 4 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS introduced a new world o f thought in unconscious motives , had lived in Springfield , we might now be
’ closer to an understanding Of Lincoln s personality and its development . 9 19 1 . a a a In , Dr L . Pierce Cl rk re d paper before the New York Psychiatric Society in which he
’ offered Lincoln s attachmen t t o the mother ideal in the form o f his own mother a s the origin Of the unconscious motives involved in his benign de f pressive psychosis . He reminds us o the lack Of
’ sympathy between father and so n ; o f Lincoln s intense love fo r his mother and devotion to his
’ step -mother ; his Shyness and indifl erence toward
a d o f 25 his other women ; n finally , at the age , love fo r Ann Rutledge and profound depression following her death ; his incomplete mental a d justment to Mary Todd as a bride and after the “ i a n o f advent of the r children , a mitig tio the uxori ” n o us ess of the marriage tie . He further suggests that some Of the love not requited in the marriage state wa s expressed by Lincoln in the affectionate
so n companionship between himself and his third ,
a wa s Willi m , whose mere presence an immense comfort to his father .
’ The final great emotional crisis in Lincoln s life was caused by the death o f his favorite so n in
6 a a February , 18 2. Lincoln shut himself w y from
and e family an d friends in a darkened room , gav [ 3 6 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS evidence o f such depth Of despair as to terrify
fo r . Mrs . Lincoln , who sent help This time he
a a a again turned to religion fo r sol ce . Wh t h d seemed to be only a form of speech and a fine method Of literary expression now changed into a new o r reborn faith in the Supreme Being a s a
a . n person l God From this time o , though his body and brain grew steadily more tired , his soul went w n . . h marching o Frank B Carpenter , the artist o
n lived fo r six months in the White House , referri g
’ ’ to Herndon s conception of Lincoln s negative re “ i i us a a : h s . lig o f ith , s id After election Mr Herndon knew little o f him and absolutely nothing o f his mental and spiritual condition before the sickness
’ f an d o his son Willie nor after Willie s death , I
’ a must say th t Mr . Lincoln s mind underwent a ”
a . v st change after that event Dr . Clark sees a further stilling Of the conflict in Lincoln ’ s soul by a possible reconciliation toward his o wn father a s f well as toward his spiritual Father , with both o whom he had always been in subconscious ant ag “ o nism ; and so we find tha t Lincoln at la st ac cept ed a religious outlet as a means of unconscious ly solving a large part of his regressive relations with life which had heretofore taken the form o f ” intensive and prolonged depressions .
’ There is too little known o f Lincoln s early life and he was t o o reticent concerning himself to [ 3 7 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
justify the conclusion that mother fixation wa s the cause o r among the underlying causes of his de
pressive make-up ; but we can more safely agree
a with Dr . Cl rk , that the cure dated from the time
’ o f his boy s passing and that it was o f a definite
spiritual religious nature . And We may further infer
that the cure was complete and would have con
t inued s a o , even through the tr gic era o f the recon
ha d structive period , he outlived it .
’ - Lincoln s athletic asthenic physique , suggestive f i o a schizoid ! dual) personality , h s keen sense of
a n humor, his const nt bubbli g over with jokes and stories in such marked Contrast to his frequent
a lapses into mental depression , his mel ncholic as
a d peet when alone n in thought , the several spells
in which his spirits sank to a lower ebb than usual , and the severe depressive reaction to his love plight with Mary Todd form the material out of which have been molded the various impressionistic
o f images in psychopathology this remarkable man . The psychiatric study of Lincoln ’ s character and career will always be interesting and worthy o f careful study by unprejudiced men whose minds are well trained in psychoanalysis . The hope of the
a variant , the b lance wheel or stabilizer for any seeming mental deviation from the normal is common sense . So , no matter how interesting any psychoanalytic deductions regarding Lincoln may [ 3 8 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
be , there is that well known and supereminent characteristic o f his which n o psychiatrist can ig
’ r a a nore o clever detr ctor take aw y . If Lincoln s periods Of depression seem to a student Of his life to approach o r even to invade the border o f the
an pathologic , that student c be reassured that
’ Lincoln s common sense alone , all physiologic ,
r psychologic , o inherited considerations aside , would an d did lift him up whenever the emergency arose . f ’ After all , a large share o the world s work , and f much o its best work , has been done by psycho
was a neurotics . Lincoln psychoneurotic , and that phase of his character went into the mosaic o f his in tensely interesting personality and was an f dissoluble part o his greatness .
[ 3 9 ] C H A P TE R F I VE
HE la st current of thought suggests another
more recent development in medical research
— r that of endocrinology , o the study o f the duct
a d less gl nds an their unbalance and dysfun ction .
Some discussion o f the subject seems necessary if fo r no other reason than that o ne hears nowa day
public speakers thoughtlessly refer to disturbances
’ a in Lincoln s thyroid gl nd .
’ Herndon s description o f Lincoln is of the great
’ n s was est value , o t only becau e he Lincoln s actual
da partner, day in and y o ut for sixteen years , but
a because , as Jesse Weik states , its v lue to history arises from the fact that it was prepared fo r de livery to audiences in central Illinois composed
’ o f largely Lincoln s neighbors , people the most competent of all t o test its accuracy and truth
fulness . It follows in somewhat condensed form
an d - Mr . Lincoln was wiry , sinewy , raw boned thin through the breast to the back and narrow
across the shoulders . Standing , he leaned forward ;
a - w s somewhat stoop shouldered , inclining to the
msum t i a was co p ve in build . His usu l weight about 6 4 180 pounds ! height feet inches) . His organiza
tion worked slowly . His blood had to run a long distance from his heart t o the extremities of his [ 40 ] LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
an d had a frame , his nerve force to tr vel through
a his dry groun d , wide circuit , before muscles were
is was an d obedient to his will . H structure loose
n an d leathery , his body shru k shriveled ; he had
d w e- S a a an o . dark kin an d d rk h ir , looked struck
an an d a n The whole m , body mind , worked gai st more or less friction and creaked as if it needed oiling . “ an d His circulation was slow sluggish .
n a a His forehead was rrow but high ; his h ir dark , coarse and rebellious . His cheek bones were high , sharp an d prominen t ; his jaws long ; his nose was
a a large and little awry tow rd the right eye ; thin ,
an d a wa s a sharp upturned ; his f ce s llow , shrunken
an d and wrinkled , his cheeks were leathery . His ears were large and ran out almost at right a ngles
i a a was an d a from h s he d . His he d long t ll from the base o f his brain an d from the eyebrows ; the
dimension s from ear to ear were 6 —5» inches an d
a f a n O 8 . from the front to the b ck the br i , inches The look Of sadness wa s more or less accen tuated
a a o ne by peculi rity Of eye , the pupil of which had a tendency to turn o r roll slightly toward the upper
a a lid , whereas the other m int ined its normal posi tion equidistant between the upper an d the lower
lids . “ His legs and arms were very long an d in undue
t o o f proportion the rest his body . Sitting in a was chair, he not taller than ordinary men ; it was
a only when he stood up that he loomed bove them .
a an He w lked like Indian , with even tread , the
a inner sides of his feet being par llel , betokening
[ 41 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
caution . He put the whole foot flat down o n the n ground , not landi g o n the heel ; he likewise lifted
it all at once, not rising from the toes ; hence there was no spring t o his step as he moved up and down
the street . “ Thus stood , walked and looked this unusual
But there is nothing in this or in any other de
scription to suggest thyroid dysfunction ; no r is there aught to suggest disturbance in any other
endocrine gland unless it was some overactivity o f
the anterior lobe o f the pituitary gland ! at base of
ma brain) , beginning after puberty . This y have been a factor in producing Lincoln ’ s unsymmetrical “ stature— his long legs and arms in undue pro ” f portion to the rest o f his body . But because o
f o f insu ficient data , of a lack certain indispensable exact Observations , this field of study as applied to Lincoln must ever be a most highly speculative consideration ; to wander even further afield in an attempt thus to explain his disposition to mental depression would be merely an interesting venture
o f in the realm of fancy . Furthermore , the subject endocrinology itself is still t o o shrouded in dark ness to make it worthy of consideration in relation to a serious study o f Abraham Lincoln .
[ 49 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
a a marri ge relation , here is the evidence th t he neither wa s lacking in Virility no r was undersexed
a to the slightest p thologic degree .
N0 record can be found o f medical attendance
a at the four births o r t the death of the second boy , who died ten months before the birth of the third so ad who n , yet we know that Lincoln h friends
a had were good medic l men , and Mrs . Lincoln two
n a ki smen , an uncle , Dr . John Todd , and brother in -law a w in a , Dr . William W llace , ho were ctive practice in Springfield . Her younger brother , Dr
wa s George Todd , a physician in Lexington , Ken
and had a tucky , she grown up in th t city , accus m d f t o e to the medical attention o Drs . Ben Dudley
a rfi l a a and Elish Wa e d . Being temper ment lly ner
a vous and fe rful , she would have been quick to rely
n a f a o medic l aid at the least sign o d nger .
Pascal Hatch o f Springfield recently uncovered
a a the following note to his f ther Ozias M . H tch ,
a f a n wa s secret ry o the st te of Illi ois , which written by Mrs . Lincoln sometime during the late fifties and which illustrates her quick nervous concern but does no t reveal the elusive name of the family physician
Monday Morning
Mr . Hatch
ar t o da If y o u e going up Chicago to y , should sa o ur meet Mr . L . there , will you y to him , that [ 44 ] DR . WILLIAM S A LACE [ . W L ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
dear little Taddie is quite sick , the Dr . thinks it n may prove a slight attack o f lu g fever . I am feel ing troubled it would be a comfort t o have him at home . He passed a bad night ; I do not like his symptoms , and will be glad , if he hurries home .
Truly your friend ,
M . L .
f . a It is o interest to note here that Dr Wall ce , ’ d prior to Lincoln s marriage , had occupie the very room of the hotel to which Lincoln brought Mary
wa Todd . The doctor s a successful physician and a
a is f cultured gentlem n , which su ficient evidence to
a refute the implication of Edgar Lee M sters , that the Globe Tavern— at that period o ne Of the lead ing hotels in Springfield— was not a proper place f r a o a successful l wyer to bring a bride .
’ Among the medical men o f Lincoln s early days in Springfield was the famous pioneer physician
a Dr . Gershom J yne . If Mr . Lincoln did not employ
’ him directly , at least he used the doctor s flat u
’
a . E lence remedy , J yne s Carminative Dr . . H .
Merryman , previously referred to , had some repu t at io n for pugilistic as well as fo r professional ability . He was a friend o f the young Lincoln and
’ like many another physician o f the time sufl ered from unfulfilled political ambitions . Three years later there appeared the adventurous Dr . Garrett wh Elkin , o had served in the Black Hawk War, [ 45 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS later enlisted in the Mexican and the Mormon
an wars , and incidentally engaged in m y little tilts
ff n o f his o wn in Springfield . He was sheri o f Sa ga mon County about 1840 an d a staunch liegeman f o Dr . Henry .
a Dr . William J yne , a boy in his early teens when
Lincoln came to town , grew up into manhood torn
o ne between two loves , but finds him making good
o f with both . He succeeded to the practice his
father, Gershom Jayne , and soon became well
a kn own medically and politic lly . In the November f 1860 election o , he triumphed over a strong
Democratic rival for a seat in the Illinois senate , d 1861 an in President Lincoln appointed him , at f 3 5 f the age o , territorial governor o what is now
a d n . Montana , Idaho the Dakotas He returned
later to the practice of medicine at Springfield , 9 1 16 f 90 . where he died in , at the age o From his
an o f boyhood days Dr . Jayne was admirer Lincoln and he left many valuable contributions to Lin
lnian co a .
Another of the early physicians , whose name is
’ ld un familiar to the reader, was Lincoln s O and
was wavering friend Dr . Anson G . Henry . He born 1804 in , was a student under Dr . Drake in Cin
cinnat i and was a member o f the Illinois State Medical Society ; he was also a promin ent citizen
o f R e Springfield , an uncompromising Whig and [ 46 ] [DR . ANSON G . HENR Y]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
1865 P ortland Superior Judge in , described in the
Ore onian a o n n g , his first c ll President Lincol when “ he went to Washington as Congressman : After
a a re ding letter of introduction from Dr . Henry
‘ a a a which I handed him , Mr . Lincoln s id , Wh t
an great big hearted m he is . Dr . Henry is one of the
a best men I h ve ever known . He sometimes com
mits an error of judgment , but I never knew him to
be guilty o f a falsehood o r of an act beneath a
’
f . gentleman . He is the soul o truth and honor He
then related a number o f stories o f the day when
he and Baker and Henry ran the politics o f S an ” gamon County .
1863 . was n In , Dr Henry in Washington o busi
a f ness , which included the form tion O the new ter
ri a in t o ry Of Id ho , and a dispute the northwest over
f n a a a collector o customs . Mr . Li coln d ted card “ 21 1863 March , , and wrote on it , Will the Secre
tary o f the Treasury do me the favor to hear my
ld . a . o friend Dr Henry briefly , bout Victor Smith
’
1 65 . 8 . as In , Dr Henry s business w more personal
a 17 McBride On M rch , with Congressman , John
a a W . Forney and Abram W kem n , he dined with
a the President , and l ter in the evening he and
’ ’ Brid Mc e were Mr . Lincoln s guests at Ford s
sat Theater where they in the box that , one month
a n a later, became the scene of n tio al tr gedy .
N0 friend was more utterly crushed by grief at [ 48 ] LIN COLN AND THE D OC TORS
a . and sight o f the dead president th n Dr Henry ,
’ no one s sympathy to the stricken widow was so
o f a consoling and helpful . As a member the f mily , he rode in the funeral procession to the Capitol an d
a then rem ined with or near them until June , when he performed o ne last service for the harassed widow by writing a letter to the Lincoln Monu
a a ment Association t Springfield , dvocating in a tactful and conciliatory manner acceptance of her
’ insistent demand that her husband s body remain buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery instead of in the city plot approved by the committee . When Mrs .
a f o f Lincoln heard , a short time l ter, o the death the doctor, she immediately wrote to Mrs . Henry “ that my sons and myself consider we have lost ” S o ur best and dearest friend . And O he was to the
s — distracted Mrs . Lincoln ; and o he was certainly of all those numbered in the medical profession to Abraham Lincoln .
Other members o f the early Illinois State Med ical Society who were known to Mr . Lincoln were
Drs . Alexander Shields , Meredith S . Helm , Charles
Ryan , Rufus S . Lord , Sanford Bell , Fletcher Tal
t . bo . . E . , C F Hughes and . S Fowler . Dr Samuel f Long , also o good standing , abandoned the prae tice o f medicine when President Lincoln appointed him consul at Havana . In this group should be ] included Drs . Henry C . Barrel and J . N . Dixon [ 49 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
. f a . . a and Dr J L Million o Ple sant Pl ins , nearby .
Others whose names were found o n the pages o f
’ - D rs . Ta a . . Diller s day book were A . ppe, A M
Browning , Raback, Morehead , Grismore , Price
and Kyner . These men all frequented the place “ ” S O un ues where Lincoln often loafed, and were q
t i nabl a o y acqu inted with him . Yet another Spring
as . field friend w Dr A . W . French , with Whom
Lincoln took a course o f lessons in German ; but ff it is said that he soon wearied o f the e ort . 1840 1 85 0 Between and , when cholera ravaged Illinois and yellow fever wormed its way up the “ ” Mississippi River, men of various schools , from
the homeopath and the eclectic to the herbalist and
a t . the itinerant Indi n doctor, came o Springfield
The first homeopath was Dr . Ferdinand Kuechler
wh a o built up large practice , especially among
an d . . . women children . A little later, Dr J A Vin
cent arrived and became mayor of Springfield . The
n first herb doctor was a Dr . Higgi s and then came
Dr . John D . Freeman, who built the original St .
nr Wahl emut h who Nicholas Hotel , and Dr . He y g also made his way into the ranks of prominent
citizens .
Outside o f Springfield there was Dr . John Logan ,
a physician of skill and a man o f character . He was
the father o f General John A . Logan . Dr . Logan
was the Democratic member o fthe legislature from [ 5 0 ] LIN COLN AND THE DO CTORS
Jackson county in southern Illinois from 183 6 to
1 4 o f 8 8 , and a warm personal friend Lincoln . Dur
183 6 and ing the year , Lincoln the other eight of the Long Nine ! representatives from Sangamon
six coun ty , all of whom were feet or over) began
their successful campaign t o secure the removal o f the state capital from Vandalia to Springfield in
a wa s Sang mon county . This accomplished through
the necessary aid o f another political group headed 5 by Dr . Logan . Later ! Feb . , as chairman
n of the Committee o Counties , Lincoln was chief surgeon at the operation o f acco uchering a new county from big Sangamon . As an expression o f
’ his personal regard for , and his county s gratitude to , Dr . Logan , he seized this opportunity to honor the assemblyman - doctor by christening the infant county , Logan .
a Bo a] And there w s Dr . Robert of Lacon , who 4 185 0 presided , June , , at the first meeting and
a a organization of the Illinois St te Medic l Society .
With him came Dr . S . G . Thompson . Lincoln already kn ew Dr . Boal well and had considerable f correspondence with him o a political nature , “ aid o relying on his , as he wrote , because of y ur ” position and standing . Likewise , he knew and corresponded with Drs . William Fithian , Thomas
Conant and Charles Wallace . Surely he knew the physician , Dr . N . S . Freeman Of Farmington , Illi [ 5 1 ] LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS
wh a nois , o c red fo r his father Thoma s Lincoln and his stepmother Sarah Bush Lincoln during their
a a a l st ye rs and d ys . Then , too , there was Dr .
a f n Richard F . Ad ms o Lee Cou ty , a staunch and
r - conspicuous p o Lincoln man . He was a skilful
a an d a a an physici n a c p ble politici . He helped o r
anize a a g the Republic n p rty in Illinois , was the
fi i a t o rst Republ c n sit in the Illinois Senate , and was the first on the roll - call of the combined house
a a 5 185 9 f r and sen te meeting Of J nuary , , to vote o
a a Abr h m Lincoln for the Un ited States Senate .
During the Civil War he rendered devoted aid to
n Preside t Lincoln in the Illinois legislature .
’ Further evidence o f Lincoln s cordial relations with the doctors is afforded by the well known
a nk letter which , with twi le in his eyes , he wrote
an d a to Dr . ! l ter Judge) Franklin Blades . After his a t ar 185 8 a dmission o the b in , Bl des wrote to
a a s Lincoln , sking for the use of his name a refer
n a ence , but neglecti g to S xplain his ch nge of pro f i ess o n . a s Lincoln , being in doubt to the identity “
. a a : of Dr Bl des , wrote him s follows I do not know whether you are Doctor Bla des o r not . If
are a ma you Doctor Bl des , you y use my name ; if
are you not Doctor Blades , if Doctor Blades says ” ma a ma s . you y use my n me , you y do o Mention should be made also of Lincoln ’ s friend
a Dr . Samuel C . Busey o f W shington , who sat [ 5 3 ] LINCOLN AND THE D O CTORS across from him at the boarding- house table o f
o n Mrs . Ann Spriggs in Carroll Row First Street , where he lived as Congressman during 1848 and
1849 . Great credit is due Dr . Busey for most of the
’ available data concerning Lincoln s life in Wash f ingt o n while a member o the Thirtieth Congress . When Lincoln first came to Springfield there were eighteen doctors located there . This number grew with the population , and Of the number in and about Springfield and throughout the state there were a great many whom he knew socially , politically and casually . These men were medical
a school graduates and undergradu tes , and some were schooled by experience in the corner drug
a was stores . But to Lincoln , the politici n , a doctor a doctor , and medical advice was accepted with but little discrimination as he journeyed over the E ighth Judicial Circuit and about the state .
f . a s n . n Is ac Diller , o o R W Diller, the Spri gfield
n a druggist and good frie d of Lincoln , rel tes that during the Civil War his father unsuccessfully sought a position as hospital steward at the large
as military camp just outside the city . He w refused
a a a a a n fo r re son o f in dequ te medic l tr ini g . In reply
his a n f to appe l , President Lincoln u o ficially wrote
a a s . ad back th t R W . Diller h given him many a dose o f medicin e it would seem th at he ought t o be h Skilled enough to do t e same for the soldiers . [ 5 3 ] LIN COLN AND THE DO CTORS
l I lness in his family , however, was cause fo r
n a a nicer discrimi tion in the choice of physician .
’ Mary Lincoln s uncle , Dr . John Todd , o n e o f the
o f a founders the Illinois State Medic l Society , was
a along in years , according to Is ac Diller, and prob ably was not employed in a medical capacity by
n the Lincol s . Mr . Diller states that Dr . William Wallace wa s his o wn family physician and he is
’ a a quite sure that Dr . Wall ce was lso the Lincoln s family physician and that Dr . Helm was called at
Chica o Tribune o n a a 1 1 times . The g J nu ry , 1861 ,
’ referred to Doctor W . S . Wallace as Mr . Lincoln s
a f family physici n . Dr . Helm , a graduate O the Balti
a a more Medic l College , had fine reputation , es
eciall as p y in Obstetrics ; both men , well as Dr .
William Jayne , lived near the Lincolns . So we may
and infer that Mrs . Lincoln the children were well cared fo r by competent medical men .
n E The second so , dward , died of diphtheria o n
a 1 1 85 0 . the morning of Febru ry , Lincoln wrote his
ad stepbrother that the boy h been sick fifteen days .
-a da di t heria In that pre ntitoxin y , p was a terrify ing ordeal to all parents . We miss him very
” ’ much , did not express the Lincolns deep , dis
a consol te sorrow . With Robert they left for Lexing
n a eu t o n where M r . Li coln c me across a volume
’ n De ense titled The Christia s f by James Smith ,
D a a a s o D . . This ttr cted his attention the auth r [ 5 4 ]
C HA P TE R S E VE N
OME o f the illnesses in the Lincoln family during the fifties might be found in the o ld record books of the Diller Drug Store , held in
a a Springfield , secure and unobt in ble . But a peek at them some years ago by Jesse Weik revealed the following items purcha sed by Lincoln in 1 85 2 15 7 T . Aug . o prescription
1 1 . 10 calomel powder . 14 Pennyroyal 10 5 3 a . 2 2 bot . c rminative . 3 3 . . 0 0 bot . carminative
From this we may conclude that the children were suffering from colic and were treated for it in the
- wrong , Old fashioned way .
a o ne However, the genial Is ac Diller still retains o f the old daybooks of the drugstore including the 5 185 8 185 9 years 18 7 , , and , which he kindly per 8 185 7 mit t ed me to scrutinize . On October , the
' wa s youngest child was 4% years o ld, but Lincoln still purchasing a bottle of carmin ative for 25 26 n . ce ts On October , , the children needed syrup of ipecac fo r a cough and chest cold and another 185 8 bottle in November . During , his busy year
I S o f politics , there only one item found
— 242 Ab . Lincoln To adhesive plaster [ 5 6 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
” In 185 9, A . Lincoln is found thirteen times
o n . Often for drug store sundries , but St Valen
’ ’ tine s Day somebody was sufl ering
— 242 A . Lincoln 25 a . TO bot . c st oil And then the usual sequel to an upset stomach developed— the ubiquitous cold ! Four days later occurred the entry :
2— A 24 . Lincoln ’ 25 To Brown s mixture . Cough candy 1 0
1 1 85 9 - a o f On May 2 , , he bought a tonic bottle
’ n a Allen s Restorative for and o Tuesd y ,
6 n September , there is an i teresting entry
— n 242 A . Lincol
a . To bot . De d Shot
bot . Lub Extract
pt . Spt . camphor
1 z . o . glycerine
The last item was new at that time and wa s used as a sweet lubricant fo r sore throat and huskiness Of
n o w was the voice . The spirits Of camphor, as ,
’ n E a wa s rubbed o the chest . Lubin s xtr ct a per
f was fume , and the bottle o Dead Shot a favorite “ sure cure fo r an unpopular house guest that respected neither prominence of person nor the
— homes o n the best streets Cimex lectularius . [ 5 7 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a 10 On S turday , September , Mr . Lincoln was
’ again back at Diller s fo r another household friend - a popular cathartic o f the times :
242— A . Lincoln ’ To box o f Wright s pills
But o f peculiar interest are two entries in 185 9 fo r June 3 and 13
— 242 A . Lincoln
T . o bot brandy .
242— A . Lincoln T O bo t . brandy .
This was not an uncommon item o f drug store pur chases by Lincoln during the fifties , but it is the
’ only record at Diller s fo r these three years . The purchase o f two bottles in ten days is difficult and
’ unnecessary to explain . We know of Lincoln s per sonal attitude toward liquor an d that on February
2 1842 a n 2 , , in tempera ce address before the
n a : a Washi gton Society , he s id Physici ns prescribe ” “ a it in this , that , and the other dise se , and the victims o f it are to be pitied and compassionated just as the heirs o f consumption and other heredi ” tary diseases .
He said many other things against int emper ance . He had early acquired a strong prejudice
against the cup with the alcoholic urge . He had di seen that cup in action in Spencer County , In [ 5 8 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
and ana , along the Ohio , Mississippi and Sanga 18 mon rivers . When years Old , his sister , Mrs .
Aaron Grigsby anticipated her first baby . The w nearest doctor lived only t o miles away , but he
wa n s objected to because Of his inebriety . Yet o 20 1828 ’ January , , because Sarah s need was sud f den and terrifying , a messenger was dispatched or
this doctor, who arrived helplessly intoxicated .
’ -in - Sarah s father law , Reuben Grigsby , then hur ried the 4 miles to Little Pigeon Creek and across D lli m Wi a . it into Warwick County for r . Davis The
’ creek was rapidly rising and o n Grisby s return
a with Dr . D vis it was so swollen that they had to
cross some six miles farther up near Dale , Indiana .
a When they finally reached Sar h , she and her
baby were dead . What an impression that tragedy
must have made o n o ur sensitive young man .
About this time , he was reading the columns o f a
certain Cincinnati weekly devoted to temperance ,
hi wa s w ch loaned him by a neighbor , William
Wood ; all this prepared him fo r the later influence
of his New Salem friend , the militant water
drinker , Dr . John Allen .
There is an abundance o f evidence that Lincoln
practiced total abstinence , but the aforementioned
list of purchases shows either that Mrs . Lincoln
desired the bottles for the ever popular brandy
sauces ! mincemeat was not made in June) o r that [ 5 9 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
a u s they had some medicin l e for it . Possibly Lin
a coln used it for extern l purposes , a method which he learned from Mrs . George P . Floyd of ! uincy ,
Illinois . After the sixth debate with Douglas at
a ! uincy , Lincoln was utterly exhausted and , s
George P . Floyd , proprietor of the ! uincy House ,
a a s relates , he almost coll psed . He w taken by his friends to his room in the ! uincy House and laid
n o a lounge . Lincoln expressed the fear that he might have to give up the race , that he was “
u . mighty nigh petered o t . Mrs Floyd came in an d man , after observing the tired , suggested a “rum sweat” at which Lincoln protested that he never drank a drop in his life . But after assurance
was a was that it for extern l use only , he willing ,
a was in his extremity , to t ke a chance . S O he stripped and seated o n a cane-bottomed chair and covered with blankets . Then a pan of New Eng land rum was lighted and placed under the chair .
This started a perspiration , after which he was put to bed and the sweating continued under more blankets and with the help o f hot ginger tea . The next morning he appeared bright and early and “ feeling like a t wo year old , vociferous with
’ praise fo r Mrs . Floyd s treatment . Years later,
when Mr . Floyd went to the White House on
business , Lincoln recognized his name and said i s r. Why , I have seen you before , I remember you [ 60 ] LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
very well . I believe your wife saved my life when 185 8 I was in ! uincy in . Yes , I have taken that rum sweat that she prescribed for me many times and I have prescribed it fo r some o f my friends . ” It has always been a dead shot . In 185 4 there was sickness in the Lincoln family o f sufficient gravity to keep him from a speaking f engagement with his friend 0 . H . Browning o ! uincy ; they were announced as speakers at the annual meeting Of the Illinois State Colonization Society at the First Presbyterian Church of
wa s . Springfield but only Mr . Brown ing present f On account o illness in his family , Mr . Lincoln ” wa f s not present , records the I llinois Journal o 14 185 4 January , .
Perhaps he wa s out of town with his do g-bitten
n wa so , Robert , for it s somewhere about this time t di that Lincoln took him o Terre Haute , In ana , to have the madstone remedy applied . This incident may bring a smile to the reader with his knowledge o f the cause and cure o f hydrophobia, but it o c curred some thirty years before the discoveries o f
Louis Pasteur , and Lincoln was frightened enough to try almost anything to save his so n from the f terrifying symptoms o rabies . He explained to Joseph Gillespie that “he found the people in the neighborhood o f those stones fully impressed with the belief in their virtues from actual experiment . [ 61 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
Even then , it seemed necessary to Offer an explana
n a tio for his credulity ; lthough he had an orderly ,
wn in logical mind , he was , by his o confession ,
fluenced n by the superstitio s of his early life .
- a - During the years as barrister t law , Lincoln met many doctors who were involved in litigation o f o ne kind o r another and there must have been
a o f a m ny legal disputes definite medic l interest , in evidence , of which are the three mute witnesses found in the Lincoln an d Herndon law library
’ ’ M edical Juris rudence A Treatise Dean s p , Taylor s on P oisons in Relation to Medical Juris rudence p ,
A no sis o P racti al ur er and S y p f c S g y . One lawsuit for malpractice has recently come to light in which Lincoln figured . In the summer of
1 6 a 85 , S muel Fleming brought suit in the Mc Lean County Circuit Court against two reputable
. E . physicians o f Bloomington , Illinois , Drs li K
Crothers and Thomas F . Rodgers , complaining that as a result o f their mismanagement of his
f a fractured leg , a disabling shortening o th t mem
f . ber had o ccured. The wife O Dr Crothers , also a
a a licensed doctor o f medicine , was d ughter of a
f - political friend and client o Lincoln . A well liked nurse who ha d formerly served the Lincolns was now a nurse in the Crothers family and Lincoln was assisting her in some property litigation . More over, Lincoln was well known in Bloomington ; he [ 62 ]
LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
a n n that he had leg to sta d o , as most doctors would have amputated so severely injured a f member . A verdict in favor o the doctors was
promptly returned , and the whole costs o f the f trial placed o n the plainti f .
[ 64 ]
’ SPECTACLES] LINCOLN S ]PRESIDENT C HA P TE R E I G H T
185 6 a N , Lincoln helped to org nize the Republi can Party in Illinois and by both necessity and
inclination did a great deal o f reading . Most of it wa s in fine print and o n poor paper , yet he did this 1 85 without glasses until the year 7 , when presby
opia overtook him and compelled him to secure
diminu reading glasses . These he purchased in a
tive jewelry shop in Bloomington , Illinois , while
shopping with Henry C . Whitney , who writes that
Lincoln bought his first pair o f spectacles fo r 3 7i-
wa s 48 ld cents , remarking that he years o and “ kinder needed them .
This is an indication that Lincoln w as blessed with eyes that were normal from an optical point
f a o f o View . However , a p ir spectacles , used by
President Lincoln and now in the possession o f
Oliver R . Barrett has been found to be number f ! diopters) fo r each eye . A reading strength o
D is sufficient for the normal eye at the age o f T fifty and beyond . o one familiar with the subject f physiological optics , this pair of reading glasses o ! strength D) would indicate a high degree o f
hyperopia D o f far- sightedness) — an amount o f refractive error that would have provoked
marked symptoms o f eye strain even in o n e o f his [ 65 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
phlegmatic disposition , and after middle age , would have limited his distance vision and have “ ” hastened the blur o f presbyopia ! o ld-age near
- vision) . Yet Lincoln went to his forty eighth year before attempting t o improve his reading vision , whereas the average year for the beginning o f the
a -fi f bifocal ge is forty ve . This fact is di ficult to
i a reconcile with h s strong re ding glasses , for if Lincoln had been very far-sighted he would have been compelled to seek his first pair o f reading glasses earlier than he did .
The probable explanation o f the strong glasses
’ is that Lincoln s eyes were quite far- sighted an d
f a that when he felt the need o new reading gl sses ,
and he sought the customary jewelry store , there
a with the assist nce o f the proprietor , selected a f pair o glasses which seemed to meet his needs ,
a and as is usual with that primitive method , gre tly
- over corrected his Visual requirement .
This discussion concerns the eyes themselves , but the ability t o make his two eyes work together is a different matter an d opens up another inter In esting field of discussion . order to obtain single , comfortable Vision from both eyes , the muscles
an d that control their position alignment , verti
a cally and horizontally , must attain lmost perfect
a a o f coordin tion . When there is a l tent degree
a an l gging o f o ne eye , due to underacting or over [ 66 ] ’ [THERE WA S AN APP ARENT DE VI ATION OF LINCOLN S LE FT EYE U PWARD]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS pia ! double -vision) o n at least o n e recorded occa sion . He related the following incident to Noah
Brooks and later to his secretary John Hay and to Frank Carpenter
was a 1 6 It just fter my election in 8 0 , when the news had been coming in thick an d fa st all day an d ‘ ’ a a there had been great hurr h boys , so that I wa s
o ut and well tired went home to rest , throwing
in a myself upon a lounge my ch mber . Opposite to where I lay wa s a bureau with a swinging glass
a a a upon it , and in looking in th t gl ss , I s w myself
a a reflected ne rly full length ; but my f ce , I noticed ,
a a f had two sep r te and distinct images , the tip o the nose o f o ne being about three inches from the
a a tip Of the other . I was little bothered , perh ps
a startled , and got up n d looked in the glass ; but the
a a a saw illusion v nished . On lying down g in , I it a
a n second time , pl i er, if possible , than before , and then I noticed that o n e o f the faces was a little d a sa . an p ler, yfive shades , than the other I got up , the thing melted away and I went o ff an d in the
a a excitement of the hour , forgot all bout it , ne rly ,
n o t a but quite , for the thing would once in while come up an d give me a little pang a s though some thing uncomfortable had happened . When I went home I told my wife about it an d a few days after I
n a a tried the experime t g in when , sure enough , the
n a a a a thi g c me b ck g in , but I never succeeded in bringing the ghost back after th at though I o nce tried very in dustriously to show it to my wife who
a s a i was w worried bout t somewhat . She thought it [ 68 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
‘ ’ a sign that I was t o be elected to a second term f o f o ne o f o f o fice , and that the paleness the faces was an omen that I should not see life through the ” last term .
a In an address delivered in Portl nd , Maine ,
Era us re 12 190 1 . E February , , Dr t ugene Holt ferred to Lincoln ’ s optical illusions and pronounced them due to a temporary lack of balance of the external ocular muscles
e As he lay there upon the couch , every muscle b came relaxed , as never before . In this relaxed con dition , in a pensive mood all the muscles , that direct , control and keep the t wo eyes together ,
a were rel xed , the eyes were allowed to separate and each eye saw a separate and distinct image by it
s f r self . The relaxation was o complete o the time being that the two eyes were not brought to gether, as is usual by the action Of converging f muscles , hence the counterfeit presentment o him self . He would have seen two images of anything ha d else , he looked for them but he was t o o startled ” by the ghostly appearance .
r . . It remained fo Dr S Mitchell of Hornell , New
O hthalmic Record f r Ma 1914 York, in the p o y , , to make the first recorded Observation that Lincoln must have suffered from a left hyperphoria and hypertropia ! vertical deviation) . He called atten tion also to the corrugation of his brow and it s [ 69 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
’ resulting crow s -feet a s one of the common symp
o f toms muscle unbalance . This article called forth further comments from Dr . E . E . Holt in the same magazine for August . 19 6 2 . a In , Dr Edw rd E . Maxey read a paper o n
a this subject . The double im ge episode he also at tributed to a hyperphoria o r cyclophoria o f Lin ’ k coln s external eye muscles , ma ing that condition explain much o f his physical laziness in youth and
his manhood and fatigue during the Presidency, and
’ claiming that Lincoln s habit o flounging was an in st inct ive fo r a n search less tiri g position forbis eyes .
Sha st id in he Dr . , his article in T Nation pre vi usl o y mentioned , writes interestingly Of Lin coln ’ s hyperphoria and also suggests a further de “ — w fect color blindness . To my grandmother ho once wished t o Show him the flowers in her front
‘ yard , he said , I will look at your flowers , mother , but I really cannot understand what people see to
’ admire in such things . I am somehow deficient .
Lincoln said substantially the same thing to his
s - - NinIan who i . E si ter n law, Mrs dwards , , in the
f 1862 a summer o , took him for stroll through the
White House conservatory . He admitted to her that it wa s his first View o f its beauteous contents !
’ It was Lincoln s habit to consider himself deficient
a a a in many w ys , but it is prob ble th t he meant esthetically and not physiologically deficient . [ 70 ] LIN COLN AND THE DO CTORS
No w there is such a thing as an apparent o r a
an d simulated squint . Paintings portraits Often
a o r ut r show an eye that app rently turns in o o up , the impression depending o n an abnormal relative position o f the iris and lid margins , which shows an abnormal amount or position of the white o f the
f o ne o f eye , su ficient to give the impression a
’ a o f squint . The app rent tilting upward Lincoln s left eye can be explained by the edge o f the left lower lid sagging below the level o f the edge Of the l d right lower i , thus revealing more of the white of that eye below the cornea o r iris coloring . This gives the impression that the pupil o r the iris o f the left eye is higher than that Of the right , whereas the t wo pupils may a ctually be in perfect horizon t al and vertical alignment permitting comfortable normal single Vision .
a a a If that devi tion upw rd was a perm nent error , it was so marked that o ne must wonder why Lin f coln did not complain more Often o seeing double ,
n especially duri g the strain Of the Presidency . All
n t things considered , I am strongly incli ed o the “ ” theory that the Lincoln squint was more apparent
a an d a n than re l , th t the sole incide t of diplopia was
a the result of temporary excessive f tigue .
P ers on al Re in scences In his m i , Dr . William
a J yne states that Mrs . Lincoln told him of the
- double vision occurrence and her fear of it , but the [ 71 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS good doctor apparently did not a ssociate the inci
r dent with defective o tired eye muscles . One can no t resist the thought that had Lincoln told that double -vision story to o n e o f his well -informed medical friends more familiar with eyes than was “ Dr . Jayne , he might have been spared that little ” “ pang instead of worrying over it as a sign yet it seems to make the man more human , and we love him none the less for the Old-time superstition of which he was a bit ashamed and against which he fought .
[ 72 ] C HA P TE R N I N E
L ld INCO N records in a letter to his o friend ,
a a Dr . Anson G . Henry , then in L f yette , Ore ff a . gon , th t he had su ered from a throat infection
a 4 1860 r Under d te of July , , he w ites My dear Doctor Your very agreeable letter o f May 15 th was re ceived three days ago Our bo y in his tenth year ! the b aby when yo u left) has just had a hard and tedious spell of scarlet
a d fever n he is not yet beyond all danger . I have a
a a he d che and a sore throat upon me now, inducing me to suspect that I have an inferior type o f the same thing .
Our eldest boy , Bob , has been away from us
a a d nearly a year t school , n will enter Harvard
University this month . He promises very well , considering we never controlled him much .
Write again when you receive this . Mary joins
ur Mrs . . in sending o kindest regards to H , Your self , and all the family .
Your friend , as ever , L A . INCOLN .
The human -interest portion of this letter is quoted incidentally to reaffirm the existence of the close friendship Of the Henry and Lincoln families but principally to record this minor illness of the
a presidential nominee . It was probably an ttack of 73 ] LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS
r a a acute tonsillitis , o it might h ve been wh t would
a a now be termed streptococcic ph ryngitis . Lincoln must have been subject to more or less trouble
was a . s then , as Mrs Lincoln alw ys o solicitous about his going out without a muffler or somethin g
a r about his thro t ; o maybe because of his long ,
a was a stooping thinness , her nxiety directed tow rd
“ ” ’ a that tubercular tendency . We rec ll Herndon s “ a description , Thin through the bre st to the back and narrow across the shoulders — stoop shoul ” dered , inclining to the consumptive in build . Since
has ma much speculation been in order , we y be pardoned for groping once more in that hazy Vista , with the suggestion that a latent tuberculosis ,
a which he feared , might have been gradu lly break ing loose in his hard-muscled body during the war harassed days in Wa shington an d might account in
a a a part for his haggard , shen , p le face , his em cia tion and his fatigue . Our stalwart hero by no means felt strong and
Li ut en o f a . e fit every day the year , year fter year ant- Governor Bross of Illinois tells Of meeting him 1860 in May , , when leaving the Republican con “ vent io n at Decatur : I found Mr . Lincoln sitting o n f a trunk , alone , at the end o the hall , with his head bowed down and leaning it upon his hand . ‘I ’m ’ not very well , he said Research brings to light other little items o f in [ 74 ]
C H A P TE R TEN
LI L - . NCO N wa s a d R now President elect n ,
a s an d a such , a very busy import nt man .
He soon forgot the unplea santness Of that mir rored double image of himself in his plannin g and
r a was a preparations fo W shington . He pparently
and well vigorous now , though still a slave to the little calomel pill .
ma Mr a a We y be sure that s . Lincoln s w to it th t
o n ffl he took his pill , had his rubbers and mu ers , and carried the cotton umbrella over his hea d dur
a ing those wintry d ys . When he stepped o n the
a special train of the Gre t Western Railroad , he had over his shoulders the famous gray shawl to protect him from the cold February drizzle . Aboard
’ a -in - the tr in was Mrs . Lincoln s brother law, Dr .
a o f William Wallace , the physici n in charge the
’ F r n w a s trip to Washington . o o Lincoln s life , well
f assassi . o as his health , needed guarding Threats nation had been pouring in by word and pen , and a doctor was a necessary member o f that party .
Fortunately , the journey was ended in safety ,
and despite hotel meals , winter weather political enemies ; the sun set on that inaugural fourth of March with President Lincoln safe with his family in the White House , physically tired , spiritually [ 76 ] LIN COLN AN D THE D OCTORS
a d a happy n mentally anxious . We can im gine that
’ a r first night s sleep as sound , dreamless rest , e freshing him for the first of those historic days of service to come .
o n From then , his body needed all of its native strength and more to resist the pressure o f irregular
r a d and meager hours fo food n sleep , of the swarm o f f f o fice seekers and busybodies , o the machina f tions o political friends and enemies , of mighty
a f a battles directed by mediocre le ders , and o million and one little annoyances that so tried his
a soul . And the public begrudged him even his sol c ing stories !
E n . arly in the admi istration , Mrs Lincoln began her habit o f daily drives and insisted as her right that Mr . Lincoln accompany her ; it was her only
was means o f getting him o ut into the fresh air . He often called to the cabinet room as early as 5
’ O clock in the morning and had his coffee sent into
’ 9 r 10 him , with breakfast put Off until o o clock and
a with Mrs . Lincoln fuming bout it all . She resorted
a to many schemes to regul rize his meals , even to inviting distinguished guests fo r breakfast and then sending a definite message that she and com
a f was pany were w iting . A favorite guest o hers the l genial Sam Ga loway of Ohio , who was often pres ent at family meals and who delighted in seeing
’ the grim furrows o n the President s face soften and [ 77 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS alter their contour as change Of thought and ex
o f a change stories brought l ughter . With eyes brightened and face lighted up , the President
a would leave the t ble , refreshed to meet the never ending bombardment of his troubles . One must credit Mary Lincoln with a good mind and an intelligent use o f it when she was quick not
’ only t o appreciate her husband s political possibili ties in Springfield but now during the Presidency to recognize his greatness and his need fo r proteo
tion against loss o f health and strength .
r f During the first week o two , while threats o
assassination were being broadcast , General Scott
had placed guards about and in the White House ,
and a feeling o f danger and insecurity permeated
the household . One night , every member of the household except the servants was taken suddenly
o f ill , and physicians were hastily called . A rumor attempted poisoning was started but soon quieted when it was learned that the family had eaten t o o
a well of the unaccustomed Potomac sh d .
With o ne tragic exception there was little of
serious illness in the Lincoln family . Soon after
getting settled down in their new home , the two ff f younger boys su ered an attack o measles , which
soon fa ded without complications . Dr . Robert K .
a f Stone , a prominent physici n o Washington , who
wa s listed as a permanent member of the American [ 78 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a 1 5 1 Medical Association in its transactions fter 8 , wa s selected ! though politically unsympathetic) as the family physician and became a more o r less frequent caller o n the President and his family .
sufiered Mrs . Lincoln much from attacks Of severe
a and head che , the children had the usual aches and
Ta d wa s pains of which most children complain .
a a a born with a p rti l cleft palate , and his pronunci
f a tion of certain words su fered ccordingly . Judging
a a a o f from photogr phs , the postn s l cavities the two younger boys were fairly well occluded with ade 20 1 862 n o ids . But on Thursday , February , , the
a - - Grim Reaper visited the f mily . Twelve year Old
Willie , a counterpart of his father in every way ex
a was an f in cept th t he handsome , was Object o
a tense love , pride and underst nding . This can be illustrated by an illuminating incident as told by a
a . . a u rel tive , Mrs Grimsley After a cert in tearf l
a o f Ta d who wa s a scene on the p rt , Willie , se ted
a an d at the t ble with the family a guest , looked
most sorrowfully at Ta d and then lapsed into a
a profound , bsorbed silence which Mr . Lincoln
a a would not llow to be disturbed . This l sted ten o r
a fifteen minutes , when the boy cl sped both hands
together , shut his teeth firmly over the under lip f i and looked up smilingly into the face o h s father , “ who exla imed : w There you have it no , my bo y , ” o u ! S am have y not Turning to Galloway , he said [ 79 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
I know every step o f the process by which that bo y arrived at his satisfactory solution of the
s a s que tion before him , it is by just such slow method I attain results ”
This was the boy who became sick along with his
younger brother . Tad made a satisfactory reco v
who ery , but Willie , two years before had suffered from scarlet fever an d probably acquired there
an n a a from u appreciated d maged he rt or kidney ,
could not resist the infection . A Washington news “ paper wrote Of the illness o f the second so n o f the
an lad a 8 President , interesting of bout years of
w n f age , ho has been lyi g dangerously ill o bilious ” fever for the last three days . The reporter was ap
’ aren t l a p y ignor nt of that important boy s name ,
and he w as inaccurate by four years a s to his age
o f and by a few days as to the length his illness . “ ” Bilious fever at that time was a term used loosely by the nonmedical public and was no longer found in the publications o f the American Medical
Association . The disease that is now known as malaria was once called bilious fever , but during the late fifties and the sixties it wa s more correctly termed intermittent fever and wa s so referred to in
n the medical literature of that time . A co tem po rary impression that the illness wa s o f a malarial “ an a nature is indicated by editori l , entitled Death ” n Nation al Re ub o f Willie Lincol , found in the p [ 80 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a s breathing . Morning Willie w worse lingered few days died .
The Shock to the mother and father was terrific
Mrs . Lincoln never again entered that sickroom ,
a and Mr . Lincoln sank into a v st slough o f grief
and despond from which he only partly emerged ,
when on the followin g Thursday he again locked himself in his o wn darkened room and abandoned
an d ff a himself to grief su ering . The next Thursd y
a a t e he repeated the performance , p ced the floor, nothing and formulated the foolish resolve to dedi
cate every Thursday to grief over his so n and
’ every father s so n that died because of the war .
But Mrs . Lincoln , in desperation , sent a friend to
a him , the Reverend Fr ncis Vinton of Trinity
Church , New York , evidently a wise , tactful , con
vincing doctor o f divinity ; for Lincoln gratefully “ a ssured him : There shall be no more mourning ” Thursdays , doctor .
a d Mother n Father , as they called each other ,
’ were mutually alarmed over the other s state o f
aid mind . She sought fo r him the timely by which
a d he emerged , n which , strangely , was denied to i her . After h s recovery , he recognized her peril
n and , pointi g one day through a window to a dis
and . tant asylum , solemnly gave warning counsel
a To her less stable person lity , the loss of the son
n resulted in permane t injury , but to Lincoln there [ 82 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS came through that same pain a new birth of heal ing . There is much evidence to indicate that Lincoln became a changed man spiritually and was cured of his a ttacks of great mental depression . Even his
a d at cynical friend n biographer , Ward Lamon , ” tributed his melancholy t o his lack o f religious
Mrs . a faith . Lincoln once s id that her husband thought most deeply on religion on two occasions —Willie ’ s death and the Gettysburg Cemetery
Dedication a year and a half later .
President Lincoln seemed to be impressed no t only with the historical importance but also with the spiritual significance of the ceremony at Get
t y sburg . He spent many hours o f thought and
and work in the preparation of his brief address ,
his disappointment at the lack Of appreciation by
the audience and the press lingered for many days . f The death o his so n William was vitally personal ,
and the Gettysburg event was vitally patriotic in
f n w its poignancy . May we not correctly a firm o that the spiritual uplift received through these t wo
o f experiences , added to the remedial submersion
his ego in 1118 all -consuming purpose to save the — m Union , was more than adequate to cure sy p t o mat ically at least— his psychoneurosis !
[ 83 ] C HA P TE R E L E VE N
HE immortal Dedication Address an d the in
cident s of his trip to the historic battleground are well known , but the fact that he returned to
Washington ill is little known . Gideon Wells ,
a f a Secret ry o the N vy , wrote in his diary at the time
I wa s invited and strongly urged by the President
a to attend the ceremoni ls at Gettysburg , but was
f r . compelled to decline , o I could not spare the time The President returned ill and in a few days it was a ascertained he had the varioloid . We were in c bi net meeting when he informed us that the physi cian s had the preceding evening ascertained an d was pronounced the nature of his complaint . It a was light form , but yet held on longer than ex d pect e . He would have avoided an interview , but wished to submit and have our Views of the mes sage .
28 1863 The National Republican for November , ,
a contains the following brief editori l , entitled , “Health of the President
We are gla d to be able t o announce that the Presi
a dent is much better tod y . The fever from which ff an d he has su ered has left him . Thursday Thurs day night his suffering was chiefly from severe pains in the head . Yesterday , and the day before , [ 84 ]
LINCOLN AN D THE DOCTORS medley o f associations suggested by the sub st it u
o f a a in a a a tion H nnibal the politic l p triarch te , for ”
a a . a f an Abr h m Being portion o the time in bed , a n o had a a ttended by Dr . Stone , Li c ln t le st some
n surcease from the importu ities Of many seekers . “ No w I have something th at I can give t o every ”
a . d body , he humorously excl imed An though he a a a a ttended to import nt m tters , he used the sm ll pox scare to a dvan tage to rid himself of more than o ne n a u desir ble visitor .
t he was When President went to Gettysburg , he
a a Ta n distressed bout le ving d Sick i bed . Return
o n 20t h a ing home the , he wrote to Edw rd Everett ,
a bo the or tor of the day , that Our sick y , for
u a whom y o kindly inquired , we hope is p st the ” w a M rs . t worst . Lincoln either was a ay this time “ o r left Wa shington soon after Tad wa s p ast the ” n a in was worst . Her retur e rly December pre ceded by frequent telegrams Of an xiety concern ing her ailing husband and so n She reached New ” 3 rd f York o n the o December , very tired and “ ” a with a severe headache . She telegr phed for
a nd a a news the next morning , in spite of re ssuring
o n 5 t h she reply from Mr . Lincoln the , sent two
6 — more telegrams o n the t h o ne to Mr . Lincoln
Ed a M anu s and o n e t o w rd Mc , the doorkeeper , “ d wanting t o know imme iately exactly how Mr . ” Lincoln and Taddie are . [ 86 ] LIN COLN AN D THE D OCTORS
’ Was Ta d sufl ering from the same light form o f
smallpox ! The White House prescriptions and drugs were filled and purchased at Thompson ’ s a a cross from the Tre sury Building , a drug store that wa s organized in 185 1 an d continues to do
f rt u n a 1 . W. Un o busi ess t 70 Fifteenth Street , N n a t el a ll 1890 a y , its drug records prior to h ve been
a a destroyed . Wh t interesting medic l deductions they would have permitted .
M rs . In September , Lincoln was in New York
h Tad a d n n . wit , Mr Li coln was trying to inveigle them home with the a ssurance that the Wa shin g “ t o n air wa s clear an d cool an d apparently
a a an d healthy . But l ter on , sm llpox broke out
n wa s a constant menace that fall a d winter . Rob ert Lincoln wished to bring home a chum from Har
a a a 19 1864 a v rd , but on J nu ry , , his f ther tele graphed him a s follows : There is a good deal o f smallpox here . Your friends must judge for them selves whether they ought to come o r no t . On
14 was a a ne da March , he in bed g in for o y , but he met with his cabinet in his bedroom fo r a brief session an d attended to other important matters .
n was a Even though Mr . Li coln once a di gnosed an d - a a wa s self dmitted hypochondri c , he never one
a wa s to enjoy the comforts of poor he lth . He too
an d busy for one thing t o o sensible for another . [ 87 ] LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
He had comparatively few occa sions to need his physician and even fewer to require a dentist . The art and science Of modern dentistry is
a a younger th n th t o f medicine and surgery . Not
a was so long go , a dentist a fellow creature t o be
a feared , and Lincoln , like all mankind , dre ded pain . He must have cringed under numerous ex traction forceps in Illinois ; and the heavy -handed
K . dentist in Louisville , y , left a wound in his jaw
a bone that eventually healed , but the che in his
memory remained . When he sought a dentist in ! Washington , he came prepared 1 62 3 3 8 . 1 1 One day in , Dr . G . S Wolf , New York
n Avenue , N . W but o e door next to the church
which Mr . Lincoln attended , was honored by a w visit from the President , ho asked that an annoy
o . ing tooth be pulled . After the examinati n , Dr
Wolf selected a pair of forceps , and as he adjusted “ it to the tooth , Mr . Lincoln exclaimed , Just a ! ” ’ T . minute , please o Dr Wolf s surprise , the Presi
dent reached in his pocket fo r a small bottle from
' which he took a few deep inhalations and then
S . a gave a ignal to proceed . Dr Wolf st ted that the
contents o f the bottle was chloroform and that the
extraction o f the tooth was practically a painless
wa in operation . Dr . Wolf s greatly respected Wash
ingt o n where he practiced dentistry fo r many years
ne f and , as o o the older dentists of Washington [ 88 ]
C H A P TE R T WE L VE
N the first chaotic months of the war , the in
a dequacy of the Medical Department to ca re properly fo r the thousands o f volunteers pour ing into the military camps wa s sensed by most
a people outside of the harassed dep rtment itself , which seemed completely oblivious of the situa tion . An earnest impulse of benevolence swept the
and f country , under the guidance o Reverend Dr .
Henry W . Bellows , Dr . W . H . Van Buren and Dr .
E a a a lish H rris of New York City , rapidly cryst l lized in the United States Sanitary Commission , the efficient predecessor of the American Red Cross
a Society . This transform tion , however , was con
a a summated only fter considerable p inful anxiety .
Even President Lincoln feared that it might be “ ” a a a o n c me fifth wheel to the coach , but fin lly
9 1861 a o f June , , Simon C meron , Secretary War, “ reluctantly appointed a Commission o f Inquiry and Advice in Respect o f the Sanitary Interests of the United States forces , consisting of H . W . Bel D D ff lows , . . ; A . D . Bache , LL . D . ; Je ries Wyman ,
a . . M . D . ; S muel G . Howe , M . D ; and Robert C
a . a Wood , Surgeon , United St tes Army Four d ys “ a later , President Lincoln wrote o n the order , I p ” prove o f the above . [ 90 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
- a But the Surgeon General refused to coo per te .
o f According to L . E . Chittenden , Register the
Treasury , President Lincoln summoned the Sur geon - General t o the White House and before mem
a bers o f the commission , he insisted th t the depart ment co Operat e to the extent o f its ability . Public opinion was the lever adroitly employed by the commission to force Congress t o reorganize the Medical Department , which it finally did , April “ 18 1862 a , , in bill entitled , An Act to reorganize and increase the efficiency o f the Medica l Depart ” o f a ment o f the Army . One the first steps t ken toward increa sing tha t efficiency wa s the appoint
a a 25 a . am ment week l ter , on April , o f Willi m H H
a as mond , Assist nt Surgeon , United States Army ,
- h a Surgeon General . Muc opposition was m de to
a s n ma the ppointment o f o you g a n , but President Lincoln was influenced largely by the numerous petitions signed by eminent physicians from all
a im over the North , for he remarked that it w s possible t o resist the weight o f evidence in the doc
’ tor s favor which had been given by the medical
’ profession of the whole country . The commission s
wa s f r choice vindicated , o Dr . Hammond proved himself to be one of the department ’ s greatest sur
- geon generals .
a a During the Lincoln dministr tion , prominent physicians were obviously the surgeons - general of [ 9 1 ] LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS the United States Army and the presidents o f the
a American Medic l Association . The former were in
o r a more less frequent communic tion with Mr ,
a Lincoln , and the l tter were known at least by reputation and possibly by contact . Dr . Thomas
- a -fi , Lawson , Surgeon Gener l for twenty ve years
15 1861 ina ura i died May , , soon after the g t o n , and
was . wh succeeded by Dr Clement A . Finley , o in 183 2 accompanied General Winfield Scott to the Black Ha wk War and was his chief medical officer during the cholera epidemic which young Lincoln
a f escaped . But Dr . Finley , a good rmy o ficer , met a new force in the guise o f the Sanitary Commis sion and was compelled to give way to the young
a Ham man , Dr . William H . H mmond . And Dr .
and f acco m mond , after two a half years o notable
lis men t s p h , succumbed to the enmity of Secretary o f War Stanton and was succeeded by Dr . Joseph
a E New Co nnect i K . B rnes . Dr . li Ives of Haven ,
a s f a a cut , w President o the Americ n Medic l Associ
— f n 1860 1862 . o atio for the years , Dr Alden March f 63 an d . a . a New York for 18 , Dr Nath n S D vis o — 6 Chicago for 1864 18 5 . The real story of the doc
in an d a tors , those sympathy with those ag inst the
a North , h s not been and never will be told , for, though the true physician works with personal
a a a o f cour ge , he does it way from the bl re trum
t o f man a pets ; and , o o , the struggle with dise se [ 92 ]
LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS
a Another committee c me , this time a medical
a la f . o ne , a group o homeop ths , to y before Mr
Lincoln the a dvantages offered by homeopathy
n with it s attenuated doses a d supplies . After listen
a s was ing quietly , his wont , he dismissed the dis ciples of Hahnemann with a witty and effective
a though rather rough comp rison , which expressed his idea o f the futility o f their system a s applied to
a the needs of the Medical Department . He lready
a f f a had his idea s o f th t system o the art o he ling ,
a a t n 13 for in the great deb te ! uincy o October ,
185 8 fo r o f , where he berated Douglas his theory “ : popular sovereignty , he said Is not that running his Popular Sovereignty down awfully ! Ha s it not go t down as thin a s the homeopathic soup that was made by boiling the shadow o f a pigeon that had ” n a 12 1 861 a starved to death ! And o Febru ry , , in speech to the Indiana legislature , in referring to the professed lovers o f the Union with their affection “ a a : showing thin and iry , he s id If sick , the little pills of the homeopaths would be much too large ” a a for them to swallow . So it is s fe to conclude th t
w a a . i a . s h s physici n , Dr Stone , not homeopath
wa s a an d a But Dr . Stone a Democr t dis greed
Unf rt u politically with his distinguished client . o
at l o f a n e y , he left no reminiscences his cont cts with his patient ; but Frank Carpenter was one day at
n work in his improvised studio when Dr . Sto e [ 94 ] LINCOLN AN D THE D OCTORS
f strolled in and , while gazing at a painting o the “ : President , said with much feeling It is the prov ince o f a physician to probe deeply the interior
n is lives o f men ; and I affirm that Mr . Li coln the purest hearted man with whom I ever came in ” contact . This is particularly interestin g testimony when considered in relation to his alleged questionable story telling . These stories , though often un dig nifi d a e , were alw ys witty , well told , and expressive
f r o a thought o an idea that he Wished to convey .
was He always quite solicitous about that . In his
a 4 1861 mess ge to Congress , July , , is this sentence “ With rebellion thus sugar-coated they have been drugging the public mind o f their section for more ” than thirty years . When the Congressional printer “ ” criticised the word sugar-coated as un dignified
an in historical document , the President insisted that it be left alone as the American people would
k W - always now exactly hat sugar coated meant .
[ 95 ] C H A P TE R TH I R TE E N
HEN time and opportunity permitted , Lin
coln always accounted it a privilege to visit the sick and wounded in the military hospitals be
a wa s c use he vitally interested in their welfare .
. . re Dr . John H . Britton , Major , U S Volunteers , “ lates the following incident : Once I amputated at
- the shoulder joint the arm o f a soldier in a hOS r pital in Washington , which the President was
wa s a visiting at the time . He gre tly interested but
evidently had little fondness for surgery . At the
a a conclusion of the oper tion , younger surgeon ,
who had been watching me , expressed with some
a an d a enthusi sm in voice audible to the President ,
his congratulations upon the operation and I re
member well being startled by the voice o f the President behind my back making the solemn in
‘ ’ But ! quiry , how about the soldier
’ The President s penchant for social contact was
f a . restricted by his o fici l duties , but Mrs Lincoln had time and energy to express their mutual sym i pat h es . From the beginning o f the war she was a
constant worker in and for the camps an d hospi
. a She tals After the loss of Willie in Febru ry , spent
’ o f 1862 the summer at the Soldiers Home , mourn
a ing over her so n and visiting the hospitals . P pers [ 96 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
E a an d w of the xecutive M nsion , o n e a s close by .
In a ddition to his great interest in the boys them
a selves , the President g ve much thought to hospi tal construction an d o n e hospital in particular was
a a s a f r he nxious to see erected model o others . To
a ff the doctors in ch rge , he o ered suggestions for
a a v rious ids to comfort , contributing from his o wn
a H H purse for th t purpose . e sent the White ouse gardener with seeds an d plants to embellish the
a bare surroundings . The largest milit ry hospital in
a i a n an d W sh ngton , cont ini g beds consisting of twenty - five o r more detached pavilions arranged “ ” n w a s a n n a H s en echelo , n med the Lincol Ge er l o
in 1862 it s a was pital ; opened , medic l director Sur
a wh was geon Henry Bry nt , o in time succeeded by
a a Drs . G . S . P lmer , H rrison Allen , Robert Bar
M K a d . h l w . c ee n t o o , J Cooper Webster Lindsley
The Lincoln Gen eral Hospital wa s a temporary
’ Har er s a . w r structure When the President died , p
Weekly began a campaign fo r a popular sub scrip tion t o erect a permanent hospital for the soldiers an a w a s a o f i 29 d s ilors , ho , st ted in its issue Apr l , “ 1 65 a d an d a i a 8 , h no more tender f ithful fr end th n
a man an d Abrah am Lin coln . To of his broad generous human ity no mon ument could be so ap ” a pro priat e a s a Hospital . Though the ide met with
a was co n sum popular symp thy , the project never mated . [ 98 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
During the campaign o f the Army o f the Poto
a a n a V is mac ne r W shingto , Lincoln m de frequent its t o t he battle -fields and saw the woun ded an d
’ n a a d the dying , and o his w y to n from the Soldiers
a n a Home , he often p ssed long li es of mbulances
t h S al laden with e sick an d woun ded . These ights ways contracted his heart with pain and made him
n a a lo g the more for peace . On memor ble visit to
o n a . an City Point the J mes River , Mr Lincoln n o un ced to the surgeon in command Of the large hospital there that he wished to Visit all t he so l
his D al a E . . n a diers in ch rge The surgeo , dw rd S ton a sked the President if he realized what that
a s a meant , there were more than in the v ri
“ ’ o us a . a s w rds But Mr . Lincoln guessed he d go ” a s a far he could nyway . After some hours of visit
- a a n . ing , h nd sh ki g , and plea sant inquiries , Mr
Lincoln returned with the medical staff to the sur ’ f h geon s o fice , when an orderly came in saying t at
o n e ward had been overlooked and the boys wanted
see to the President . The surgeon tried in every
wa t o a y dissuade him but f iled . Returning to the f o fice , the surgeon became so licit io us about Mr .
’ Lincoln s arm after so much hand - S haking ; but
a a Lin with the p rdon ble pride of all strong men ,
coln strode over to where an ax lay against a log ,
and fo r a few min utes ma de the chips fly ; then he
extended his right arm an d held the ax horizon [ 99 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
a . n tally . A hospit l steward , while Mr Lincol drank
a the glass of lemonade he had made , g thered the “ ” a chips that Father Abrah m chopped .
Adelaide W . Smith , independent worker for the
a n n Sanitary Commission , rel tes that o o e occasion , while Lincoln was visiting at City Point the sick
f 9t h 6 h 5 t h 2n d and wounded o the , t , and corps
’ d Afric an d the Corps , Jerome Walker , a young wh man connected with the commission , o later be
a came physician in Brooklyn , said , pointing to “
at an . some tents close h d , Mr President , yo u do ” not want to go in there ! ! ” n t . Why o , my boy he asked i s r . Why , , they are Sick rebel prisoners
a a With h sty movement the President replied , ” is and That just where I do want to go , he strode
a ff f into the tent , sh king hands and o ering words o f comfort , to the great surprise and pleasure o the
wh a Confederates , o e gerly responded t o this cor
dial gesture .
a On another occasion , while he w s with General “ a Grant , the gener l said , These are the Confeder ”
and . a ate quarters , Mr Lincoln immedi telyreplied , “ ” I wish to go in there alone .
Though all this tended to increase his natural
wa a sadness , yet it s a ch nge from his grea t duties
and nervous cares ; in stead o f carping critics and w questionable friends , he met young men ho loved [ 100 ]
LIN COLN AND THE DOCTORS
o f a cooler breeze that quiet pl ce . Here he could
rest and muse and think uninterruptedly and , in cident all a y , dr pe his long legs over the furniture in masculine comfort . Abraham Lincoln wa s human and suffered from m — the tor ents of civilized feet corns and callouses .
a An engaging individu l with an air, whom the “ ” President addressed as Doctor, one I sachaar
Z a fo r s acharie , c red those large feet o successfully that Mr . Lincoln gave the chiropodist an auto f ’ o . graphic testimonial his skill At Soldiers Rest , however , he could shed his constringent shoes and even his carpet slippers , and enjoy those famous i blue woolen socks o f h s .
was a Nevertheless , each day , he back t his desk o r haunting the telegraph office an d Secretary
’ War a Stanton s room in the Dep rtment close by . Sleepless nights and protracted days were pulling his habitual low blood pressure lower ; anxiety and worry were urging the pressure upward and scle rosing his arteries . Little wonder that in serious company and in
n f r serious times he fell back o his love o jokes , 22 1862 stories and laught er . On September , , he urgently called all members o f his cabinet together to consider a matter o f supreme importance— and then he read to his amazed confreres a humorous story ; yet no o ne laughed but himself . After trying [ 102 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a another with similar response , he put Artemus
“ ’ a a d : Ward aw y n exclaimed Gentlemen , why don t y o u laugh ! With the fearful strain that is upon me
a d night n day , if I did not laugh , I should die , and ! ” yo u need this medicine as much as I do Then , with a sigh , he pulled a paper out of his deep hat and read to his ast o hined listeners the first draft o f the Emancipation Proclamation ! He repeatedly
n all said he would die if he did not laugh , and so o and any occasions , at meals , at congenial gather
re ings and at solemn conclaves , he would be
o f minded . Thus his keen sense humor was con st ant ly at work in mitigating the debilitating o p pression of the rebellion which he so feared he would n o t survive . f One of these reminders , which is o some interest
a o f in this story , followed the nnouncement the
f f a . . n e cause o the absence o Gener l W W Morris , o o f his invited guests to Gettysburg . Turning to his “ - a Postmaster General , Lincoln s id , Blair , did you ever know tha t fright has sometimes proved a sure cure for boils ! ” “ a ! N0 , Mr . President , how is th t
“ ’ N a . o t o I ll tell you long g , when Colonel with his cavalry was at the front and the Rebs were
a f r was m king things rather lively o us , the colonel
ut ordered o on a reconnaissance . He was troubled at the time with a big boil where it ma de horseback [ 103 ] LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
’ a a riding decidedly uncomfort ble . He h dn t gone more than t wo or three miles when he declared he
’ n an r could t stand it y longer , dismounted and o
a dered the troops forw rd without him . He had just
settled down t o enjoy his relief from change of position when he wa s startled by the rapid reports o f pistols and the he] ter- skelter approach o f his
troops in full retreat before a yelling rebel force .
a He forgot everything but the yells , spr ng into his
saddle and made capital time over fences and
a ditches till safe within the lines . The p in from his
wa s boil gone and the boil t o o , and the Colonel
swore that there wa s no “cure for boils so sure as fright from rebel yells and that the secession had
rendered to loyalty one valuable service at any ” a r te . No doubt he enjoyed telling this story to his
medical friends and acquaintan ces and t o certain
o f ffi a his o cial colleagues , m ny of whom were sons
f a s a a o doctors , such his priv te secret ry , John Hay ,
- a a a Vice President H mlin , Secret ry of St te Seward ,
o f Secretary of War Stanton , Speaker the House
a a d Colf x n others .
There are many a utograph n otes concerning do c
are n o w a tors , which c refully preserved , consisting
f all a o requests and orders , written in his usu l cour
a re . t eo us style . Among these his orders to Dr
a a . John P . Gray to ex mine Dr . D vid M Wright [ 104 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
o f only President the United States who , while in
o flice , had been under enemy fire . When General E 1864 arly stormed Washington in , Mr . and Mrs . Lincoln visited Fort Stevens to witness the battle “ f 1 1 ” o July . He , with a plain clothes man and a
a f a a a medic l o ficer , stood on p r pet within range of a tree that concealed a rebel sharpshooter who was
ff man a ma o n . successful in picking fter Mr . Lin
all coln refused importunities to seek safety , until the medical officer was Shot down by his Side and ” he was ordered o ff the parapet by the officer in
command , General Wright . Did the doctor stand
r there because of curiosity , o because of the honor a f a nd thrill o courting d nger beside the President , o r because of a generous thought that his bright uniform might have a selective action o n a Minie ball ! The motive is not as important a s the fact tha t the sharpshooter chose the uniform in prefer ence to the towering silk hat . So here are a cheer and a salute t o that unremembered and until now unknown physician , whose name is presented in
— appreciative retrospect Dr . C . C . V . A . Craw
a l 02nd Vo lun ford , assist nt surgeon , Pennsylvania
and teers . Dr . Crawford recovered from his wound was honorably discharged o n November 19 of the
we same year . His hospital cot , may be sure , was
Mrs . o ne that Mr . and Lincoln did not fail to
Visit . LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
a a Soon fter Lincoln bec me President , a life in
a a surance expert , Rufus Sm ll , ttempted to write a policy on his life , but Mr . Lincoln refused to take the insurance agent seriously and offered this hu “ mo ro us dig at doctors : I am no t ready yet to sell ” a a my bones to a physici n . His widow n d sons would have been saved much humiliation at the “ ” o f a hands Congress if he had sold his bones , s he
a a expressed it , to reput ble insurance company .
and However, life insurance was new Mr . Lincoln lacked confidence in its surety , and possibly , also , his old streak o f superstition was a subconscious restraining influence .
But aside from the ever present danger o f V io
f f wa s lence , the burden o his o fice steadily doing its
a work of attrition , disintegr ting the rock and iron
is ld o f h constitution . His o friends were Shocked a t
a the ch nge in him . Noah Brooks , who had known
a him in Illinois , said that the change few years ha d
was made simply appalling . John Hay wrote that mi in nd , body and nerves , Lincoln was a different man at the second inauguration from the one who
a a 1861 had t ken the o th in . Horace Greeley in his “ Tribune o f 22 1 865 weekly April , , said : When we last saw Mr . Lincoln , he looked so weary and hag
gard that he seemed unlikely to live o ut his term .
a He ged with great rapidity . When the famous sculptor Augustus Saint Gaudens first saw the life [ 107 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
’ mask of Lin coln s face made by Clark Mills in the
1 865 as a spring of , he insisted that it w a de th
mask .
The growing exhaustion o f the country w as re
flect in f a g itself o n the face o the President , m king
d a a an . it sallow, hagg rd d rk circled under the eyes “ He once said : I sometimes fancy that every o ne
o f the numerous grist ground through here daily ,
from a senator seeking a war with France down to
a poor woman after a place in the Treasury De
art m n t and p e , darted at me with thumb finger,
plucked out their special piece of Vitality and car
’ ff a ried it o . When I get through with such day s
is n n e can work , there o ly o word which express my
and is condition that And yet , when
t o a a urged rest , he replied th t the tired p rt of him
wa s inside and out o f reach ! Even victories and a brighter prospect did not
offer much surcease from the weight o f events a s
n wa s they poured o him . Grant Slowly yet surely
ar a n closing the jaws of his w m chi e on Richmond ,
and blood oozed through every tooth of the jugger
a naut . People were cl moring to have the terrible
a d o f flow stopped , n Lincoln was feeling the horror
a n it as never before . Dr . Stone ag in war ed him
Febru that his nerves were nearing exhaustion . On
1865 n - an ary 6 , , the Attor ey General stormed in ,
no uncing his decided disapproval o f so much par [ 108 ]
LINCOLN AN D THE DOCTORS
d G s . claimed , Thank o that I have lived to ee this It seems to me I have been dreaming a horrid dream for four years and now the nightmare is ” gone . I want to see Richmond . The famous trip to Richmond was made in
9 Riv r ueen safety , and o n Sunday , April , the e ! docked again in Washington , and Mr . Lincoln learned Lee had surrendered that day at Appo
mattox . f Meanwhile , Secretary o State Seward had suf
r d a . fe e a severe ccident during his absence , and Mr
’ Lincoln s first act was to visit his sickroom and
there relate to him his experience in Richmond .
a Throwing himself across the bed in boyish ab ndon ,
a with his he d propped in his hand , he told his Sec
ret ary o f State the story o f the ending o f the war d i “ an then , lifting himself up , he excla med , And ” now for a day of Thanksgiving .
I D PHOTO R P H F DR . CH R ES A E E REPRO CE YR GHTE G A O A L . L AL D D , U R V P E R M I S S I O N fl F H TS F A M I L Y
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
sleeve but found no injury . On lifting the eyelids ,
saw he evidence of brain injury , and immediate ly the clotted wound in the back of the head was
revealed . When he removed the clot , the intra
cranial pressure was eased ; Sh allow breathing and
a weak pulse followed .
a a Dr . Ch rles S . Taft , cting assistant surgeon ,
a w as United St tes Volunteers , now lifted into the
an d n box from the stage fou d Dr . Leale bending
over the President , attempting to stimulate the respiration by placing his two fingers into the
throat and pressing down and out o n the base o f f o . the tongue to free the larynx secretion Dr .
had Albert F . A . King also come into the box , so
a a n Dr . Le le asked each physici n to ma ipulate an arm while he pressed upward on the diaphragm
and under the left lower costal border to stimulate
’ a a was the he rt s ction . This followed by an im
and provement in the pulse the irregular breathing . Then fearing the effects of more bodily man ipu
l i n o f p at o n s duri g this first stage profound shock ,
a Dr . Leale attempted further stimul tion by for
’ cible in - and- out breathing into the President s
a d a and n a n n mouth , n soon he rt lu gs were cti g i de
a was pendently of artificial stimulation . Br ndy
’ b e next poured into the President s mouth , and
As an a a swallowed it . the d ger of immedi te de th
a a n was over , byst nders urged th t the Preside t be [ 1 12 ] LIN COLN AND THE D OCTORS
n removed to the White House , but the doctors i sisted o n getting him into the nearest bed . S o with
f . a some di ficulty , Dr Leale supporting the he d , Dr. d a S an . T ft the right houlder , Dr King the left , the stricken Lincoln wa s carefully carried across Tenth
a Street to the rented room of Willi m Clark , a f boarder in the house o William Peterson , and
- m placed o n a four poster bed at about p . . , just fifteen minutes after the shooting .
After an attempt to remove the foot-board o fthe
fl x d un e e . bed , the knees were by placing Mr Lin coln diagonally across the bed ; pillows propped up the body t o lie in a gently inclined plane . Windows
n w a an d a were o raised , the room was cle red , the p tient was un dressed in order that the doctors might
wa s . search for more wounds . None found Hot
an d an and water bottles , bl kets were sent for , a large sinapism ! mustard plaster) was applied over the solar plexus and entire anterior surface o f the f body . Examination o the wound was made by
a using a finger as a probe , but the b ll could not be found . Brandy poured between the lips by Dr .
a a was T ft c used choking , and swallowed with much difficulty ; another teaspoonful ten minutes
wa s n a later retai ed in the throat . The respir tions
a now became l bored , and the pulse rate dropped
44 n en to a mi ute and was feeble . The eyelids were t irely closed and ecchymotic ! discolored) ; the left [ 1 13 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS pupil was greatly contracted and the right widely
a dil ted .
. a a a Dr Stone , the f mily physici n , n d a little
a - later, Dr . Joseph K . B rnes , surgeon general of the
a . a United St tes Army , and Dr Ch rles H . Crane ,
colonel an d a ssistant surgeon -general of the United
a States Army , c me in and took charge o f the
mortally wounded President . At their suggestion ,
was a n brandy again dministered , but u successfully ,
a . a a for the l st time During the night , Dr . Ne l H ll ,
n n with whom Dr . Sto e consulted duri g the last ill
n ness of Willie Lincol , came in , as did other promi
f a a D . o s rs . . nent physicians W shington , such C H
a d . M a Lieberman n J F . y . Dr . Beecher Todd o f
n f Mrs . n n Lexi gton , a cousin o Li col , was there
through the long night . Others present were Acting
D . a Assistant Surgeon Ford and rs . C . D G tch and
E was a . . W . Abbott . A detailed record m de by Dr
’ an d Abbott o f the President s pulse respirations ,
’ ’ and Mrs . Lincoln s visits to her husband s bedside
other minor data and was published in the daily
papers . The upper left eyelid was dark and swollen after
the patient was put t o bed ; thirty minutes later
the inner angle o f the right eye became dark and
a exo ht hal swollen , and soon there was double p
mus . At twitching of the left side of the face
n fo r developed , which co tinued some fifteen to [ 1 14 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
’ o n a a 15 1865 hour S turd y , April , . Dr . Barnes
’ a a a finger was over the c rotid rtery , Dr . Le le s
’ wa s o n finger the right wrist pulse and Dr . Taft s hand wa s over the cardium when that great heart
a n m de its final contractio . After a full minute of
a awed Silence , Secret ry Stanton solemnly made his
a n f mous pronouncement , and the Revere d Doctor
Phineas D . Gurley knelt in fervent prayer ; and so
a a man p ssed from the e rth this great , to live for the ages .
There was nothing more for the doctors to do ex
a cept to gather fo r the utopsy , which was held in an upper guest-room in the northwest wing o f the
1 1 a m a 15 White House , at . . S turday , April , in the
f - n a a presence o Surgeon Ge er l Barnes , Assist nt Sur
- a an geon General Cr ne , Dr . Stone , Assist t Surgeon
a n Woodw rd , U . S . Army , Assista t Surgeon Curtis ,
t s n an d . . o o U . S . Army , Assistant Surgeon W M N ,
an d a a U . S . Army , Assist nt Acting Surgeon T ft ,
n a U . S . Volunteers . Dr . Leale declined an i vit tion
wa s a a e 23 to be present . He a young physici n ! g ) and his experience through the n ight wa s all that
a 19 da o f he c red to endure . On April , the y the
a funeral procession to the rotunda of the C pitol , he “ did n o t refuse an invitation to join the Surgeon
General o f the Un ited States and Physicians to the ” ’ a h n a dece sed , w o , by order of the Adjuta t Gener l s
in n f a f office , co sideration o their e rnest e fort to [ 1 16 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
’ prolong the President s life , were given a post of honor immediately in fron t of the senatorial pall
a 193 2 bearers and the hearse . Dr . Le le in , cele
a 13 brat ed his ninetieth birthd y , dying June , and though he was always reluctant to discuss that
a night which , even fter many years brought him
a only emotional depression , he had reverently s ved his creped sword and bloodstained cuffs .
It is unnecessary to give more o f the details of the postmortem in these pages than to trace roughly the passage of the fateful bullet n o w pre served in the archives o f the War Department . It entered the cran ium through the occipital bone
1 t o f l n it udi ! base) , inch o the left the superior o g nal sinus ! large vein which is at center o f base) , tore the lateral sinus ! large vein which lies hori zo n t ally on a level with the cen ter o f the mastoid process) and , passing obliquely through the brain , carried large fragmen ts of bon e with it for 2}7
an d inches , stopped in the right anterior lobe of the cerebrum , just behind the right orbit , fracturing the orbital plates o f both orbits . But the anterior
dura mater ! the thick covering of the brain) , lying
a over the posterior orbit l bone , was uninjured .
This most unusual double fracture o f the orbital
so a n plates was decided , and nnounced , as bei g a
n fracture by co trecoup .
This explanation was generally accepted by the [ 1 17 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
. Lance medical profession The London t, the fore
a 1 1 most medical journ l of the time , for June 7 865 ,
n published an article by T . Lo gmore , professor o f military surgery at the Army Medical School , in which he agreed that the fractures were caused by the brain being driven against the orbital bones by the impetus communicated t o the brain by the bul
Teever let , but W . F . , surgeon to the
West London Hospital , disagreed with that opinion because he claimed there could no t have been a transmission o f force fo r the reason that the bullet struck the occiput with such velocity as to make a
- sharp , clean cut hole , just the size of the missile , and therefore could no t have transmitted its mo tion to the surrounding bone and brain . In his
was a opinion , the bullet spent bullet as it struck the right orbit and rebounded without injuring the
a dura , even as a spent bullet will fracture long
n bone , without penetrati g the clothes that cover it . He thought the left orbital fracture an extension of the right orbital fracture and that the surgeons would have found that communication by a more minute examination . We may be sure that a careful search for a con nect ing fracture had been made . Also , it is quite improbable that a fracture o f the thin orbital bone could extend through the heavy sphenoid or the heavy frontal bone to the opposite orbital plate; [ 1 18 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a 18 1 sarcoph gus , to receive ! September , 7 ) the wo n derfully preserved an d officially identified body o f
Abraham Lincoln .
But before that September event there came on
17 a July , the body of the White House pl yfellow ,
Mrs Tad , to join the silent trio on the hill . . Lincoln
Tad n and had returned , in the spri g , to the home of Robert Todd Lincoln in Chicago , when Tad
a was suffi came down with severe cold . He soon cient ly improved to be moved to the Clifton h . t e House However , illness proved to be more
Tad a an d than a severe cold ; bec me worse , by June
25 wa s a s ur o a , he o ce , f much concern to his f mily
’ and a s of consult tion among doctors . The family
a Dr a regul r physician , Ch rles Gilman Smith , was 3 n 2 . . called in o May , and Dr H A . Johnson served
18 8 . with him from June to July , and then Dr
a - f Nath n S . Davis , ex President o the American
Medical Association and co - founder of what is now the Northwestern University Medical School , was
a s a . a s a called in consultant with Dr Smith , the p tient grew worse . 9 For the few days after June , the boy seemed “ an d better , there was less water in his chest , his
f r face had lost in part its look of distress . Hope o
wa s his recovery revived , but the hope was short
was no for. lived . Dr . Davis declared there chance [ 1e0 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
14 a recovery . By July , the lad was gain in great distress an d fighting for breath . He continued to
a fail r pidly during the night , and when morning “ came he suddenly threw himself forward o n his ” bed and was gone . It is generally thought that
Ta d died of typhoid fever, but the foregoing brief evidence would in dicate that he had pleurisy with
t a effusion . A witness o this diagnostic observ tion is an obituary notice in the Chicago Tribun e o f “ 1 6 187 1 a f his July , , which st tes that , The cause o ”
was f . . E death dropsy o the chest Dr W . A . vans
a suggests , with good reason , that pleurisy which had existed for six months must have been tuber
lar Ta d was 1 cu , especially since tall and thin and 8 .
T was o Mary Lincoln , this loss another reason for
l n In a her o g g to join her b bies and husband . On en tering the White House she was 42 years o f age and approaching o r passing through the involutional
a change th t women must endure . In addition to that nervous ordeal and to the mental havoc f wrought by the death o Willie , the bitter years of the war brought to her not only great worry and emotional stress but intense person al abuse and
a — a a a worse th n all else soci l ostr cism . Under th t
a a wa s no t en str in her mind or person lity , which dowed with the common sense o r the firm gra sp on [ 121 ] LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
reality that Mr . Lincoln possessed , showed in
o f . creasing signs deviation Always a variant , She
now wandered farther from the accepted standard
o f a a the norm l in human beh vior , and , as such , be
a came a poor risk against cal mity .
So the shock of that fearful April night in Wash ingt o n had the immediate effect of throwing her
Of s a an d into an extreme state hy teri prostration .
’ a a a at a a She was un ble to ppe r her husb nd s funer l , an d it was reported that she never again saw his
a a a a she face fter th t e rly tr gic morning . For weeks
“ ’ sufl erin n remained in bed , g i tensely in body and ” a ew York ribune an d min d ccording to the N T , fainting on occasions when she attempted to pull
a a herself together and rise , ccording to her seam
- - kl Kec e . a stress maid companion , Elizabeth y Fin lly l k . 2 . Kec e o n May 2 , accompanied by Mrs y and Dr
he t wo Henry , s left the White House with her sons “
kl . Mrs . Kec e to go t o Chi cago . y stated that Dr
Henry accompanied us an d he wa s remarkably ” attentive an d kind .
wa s a The world for Mrs . Lincoln now lonely ,
a confused pl ce in which to live , and her bruised mind wa s unable to a djust itself . Her headaches increased , and her judgment became impaired , leading to minor errors and major mistakes which harmed n o o ne but herself . She shrank from the curiosity and criticism of unkind people which de [ 122 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
a d with her . Indians n doctors were pulling wires
a and steel springs from her head . Hallucin tions and delusions made o f her a troublesome tenant fo r the hotel man agement and an embarrassing annoy
t o ad ance Robert Lincoln . Finally , at the urgent f fi vice o ve prominent physicians in consultation , he felt compelled to permit a jury o f twelve dis t inguished citizens of Chicago t o find his mother insane . Her personal physician , Dr . Willis Dan
wa s a . forth , the m in witness , and Drs Isham ,
Davis , Johnson and Smith , already referred to ,
a . gave their opinions at the tri l . Dr . S . C Blake , city physician , sat on the first jury and Dr . R . M .
n Paddock o the second jury .
’ a a s Robert s l wyer w Leonard Swett , and his
’ wa s — o ld mother s lawyer Isaac N . Arnold both
o f friends Abraham Lincoln . Their duty was per formed a s quickly and sympathetically as possible . She was judged insane and a fit person to be sent to the State Hospital for the Insane She
wa s . . . committed , however , to the care of Dr R J
a P tterson , founder and director of the Belleview
a a a a . Place Sanit rium at B t vi , near Aurora , Illinois After thirteen months she had improved to such an extent that another Chicago jury , more gener
us a n 15 1876 a o than ccurate , o June , , decl red her ” a restored to reason . Accomp nied by her d s . E a an ister, Mrs Ninian dw rds a companion [ 124 ] LIN COLN AND THE D OC TORS
s e fi nurse , h returned to Spring eld ; but being too sensitive and unhappy to remain there , she fled for
e the s cond time to Europe , to be alone among
n 1879 she stra gers . While in France , in , fell from a
die ladder and seriously hurt her spine . Fearing to among the strangers she had sought , she returned in 1880 October, . After a brief stop in New York City fo r the purpose of consulting with the eminent
she orthopedic surgeon , Dr . Lewis A . Sayre , has tened to the home o f her sister and the care o f her
Springfield physician , Dr . Thomas W . Dresser , son o f the preacher who had married her .
n Duri g these later years , diabetes overtook her and no w began to manifest itself in earnest , with f loss of weight , disturbance o vision , distressing ld boils and other annoyances . And the o injury to
o f her spine interfered with locomotion . In the fall
1881 a re , she managed to return to Dr . S yre and mained several months under his orthopedic care , though a Springfield paper stated that she went to “ New York to be treated fo r a disease of the eyes
a o f and for di betes . In her letters she complained
a a o r almost everything but her eyes , yet c t ract
‘ retinitis would be a very prob able co mplicat io n o f f 3 7 her diabetes . A portion o her visit was spent at
’ - E s West Twenty sixth Street in Dr . . P . Miller hotel , which featured turkish , electric and roman Ed baths . By March she was back again in the [ 125 ] LINCOLN AND THE D OCTORS
’ a wards home , living in a d rkened room , preferring
t — a candlelight o sunlight unh ppy , secluded , and more sick now in body than in mind .
She grew rapidly weaker, and finally midsum
S mer brought the end he had so longed fo r. In the
o f 15 she ff a al evening July , su ered a stroke o f p r y sis a a a and r pidly s nk into com . Dr . Dresser stated
wa s that the coma , in his opinion , due to the s r troke , o breaking of an intracranial blood vessel ,
a rather th n to diabetes . It might have been either
- m went . . or both . T y four hours later , at p , 16 1882 July , , Mary Todd Lincoln died , and on “ July 19 her wish to lay my aching head and sor rowing heart by the side o f the dearly beloved ” o ne a was fulfilled . Poor tr gic Mary Lincoln , de voted mother o f four boys and loyal wife o f Abra ham Lincoln ! Intense an d ambitious in life and immortal in death ! Her body no w lies in a ma rble crypt forever near to that of the man she truly
a helped guide to his gre t destiny .
f 1890 . 2 In the spring o , there lay sick at No
Cromwell House , Kensington , London, Abraham
- - Lincoln II, the 1 6 year old so n o f the Honorable
a Robert Todd Lincoln , then American Amb ssador
a F r o f to the Court o f St . J mes . o a period four mon ths the heir to that illustrious name had suf [ 126 ]
’ THIS efl o rt at a contribution to Lincolniana is a work of love by o ne who believes that Abraham
Lincoln will become increasingly great , for when he
o f f s aved the Union the United States o America, he also saved the very prInp le of peaceful federa tion of separate states fo r the impending new era o f world federation .
[ 128 ] A P PE N D I ! A
TH E following letters are printed by permission o f f f Oliver R . Barrett o Chicago , owner o the origi
ls n a .
’ n a Dr . He ry s letter to Mrs . Henry reve ls their close friendship to the Lincolns and , incidentally, the only record of President Lincoln ’ s last spoken f words . The letters o Mrs . Lincoln corroborate the
’ a f o f author s emph sis o that close friendship , and ,
S o f added interest in this book , disclose early igns her psychosis .
DR . ANS ON G . H ENRY TO AB RAHAM LINCOLN
AF AYETTE REG ON 2l s 186 1 L , O , June t ,
Dear Lincoln
Yo u see t he en se a am n all in will by clo d , th t I doi g
r n s my powe to keep thi g right here . There is a much stronger Secession feeling in Oregon than is generally believed . I n my opin ion t he election o f Baker and Nesmith to
he na h ns en f a o f re enr e t Se te , and t e co equ t de e t B ck idg an ane in Ore n an f rn in em er is all d L go d Cali o ia Nov b ,
s h As that aved this Coast from going with t e South . it
mn r S an was t he mel a ear n e o f Gen . e at , ti y pp a c Su Francisco saved t he public property o f California from h falling into t e hands o f t he Secession ists . n all is no s f s n n he ern rs I thi k w a e , n otwith ta di g t Gov o o f both Californ ia Oregon openly avow their ho st ili ties to your policy o f putting down t he Rebellion . [ 129 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
The Douglas wing o f t he Democracy are a Unit here in Ore n in s r o f r l Th Or an Th go , uppo t you po icy . e g ! e Statesman ) is t he most zealous efficient supporter
a e in Ore n if no t o n he a s you h v go t P cific Coa t . m n n l l a o w o n m farm e r n n . an I y , doi g itt o othi g If I c aid t he Government in t he capacity o f Surgeon ! fo r c am es e o r in an er w a an at whi h I b t fitt d) y oth y , you c ’ men s m n s a mo t notice com a d my service . That God may give you Strength an d Wisdom to dis ar e r er res ns e es is t he a l ra er ch g you v y po ibl duti , d i y P y r o f you old unwavering friend . HE RY A . G . N
AFAYETTE REG ON ne 2l st 1861 L , O , Ju , Dear Lincoln I have n o misgivings about your ultimate triumph
a r e sa f r over t he Rebellion . It m y with t uth b id o you ’ Army as was s aid o f Oliver Cromwell s Regiment “ Being well armed within by t he satisfaction o f their
ns ences an d r n rms e co ci , without , with good I o A , th y
ll as o n n s an l n ar e es era el . wi e ma t d firm y , a d ch g d p t y H las . e We have just heard o f t he death o f Mr . Doug
e s rr n la a r l r and his di d u ou ded by a b ze o f P t iotic G o y , memory will be cherished by all true Patriots .
l nc ln . rs as Remember us most kind y to Mrs . Li o You ever. HENRY A . G .
A H RY LDER OF CAL F R A DR . NS ON G . EN TO A . R . E I O NI
E! ECU TIVE MANS ION A HIN TON 12 1863 W S G , Apu l , R A . . l er Es r E d , q . Dear Sir I received your letter o f February 20t h o n my return from a visit to t he Army o f t he Potomac in Company
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
I have written my wife a long letter by this mail c res me S he ll s whi h I p u wi how you .
n es re ar s r fam l n d al fr n s My ki d t g d to you i y a l ie d .
rs r l You t u y ,
. HE R A G . N Y
DR . ANS ON G . HENRY TO HI S WIF E
WAS HINGTON r 1 186 , D . C . , Ap il 9 , 5 ear fe My D Wi ,
a has een t he sa es da o f m l fe n Tod y b dd t y y i , if i deed o ne day can be sadder than another o f t he sad days
h s r e he n that as h oud d t ation in gloom . I have n o words to express what I feel and how much I n o w long to fold you to my bosom and mingle my
rn n ears rs fo r t h l ss o f o r r a es bu i g t with you e o u g e t t ,
m s n and l n fr r best o t ki d ovi g iend Ab aham Lincoln . Now that he has gone to t he Spirit lan d we realize how much we loved him and how worthy he was o f o ur love and confidence .
I was in Richmon d o n t he n ight o f his assassination . The next day in t he afternoon I went down to City
h s s s nne t he Point met t e sad news . I w a o tu d by blow that I could n o t realize that he was dead un til I saw ’ him n in t he es s c am er c l and s ll in t he lyi g Gu t h b , o d ti flas e n embrace o f Death . Then t he terrible truth h d upo me and t he fountain o f tears was broken up an d I
e e a c l ref s n be mf r e rema n n w pt lik hi d , u i g to co o t d , i i g riveted to t he spot until led away by those who came in f n had fo r t he purpose o f laying t he body in t he co fi . I n ever before realized t he luxury o f tears I n ever be
r in h ar s l ran fo e wept t e bitterness o f he t ou , God g t that I may never have cause to s o weep again .
Af er re er n m m s re s t he res t cov i g y co po u , I ought p f n her in n ln . ence o f poor heart broken Mrs . Li co I ou d [ 13 2 ] LIN COLN AND THE D OCTORS
m m se an had an c a e bed ore co po d th I ti ip t d , but t he moment I came within her reach she threw her arms aroun d my n eck an d wept most hysterically fo r several
n es an d s c m le el nmanne me a a n mi ut , thi o p t y u d g i , but
s m wa s h r m s n s l n an d f r lf my y pathy to e o t co o i g , o a ha hour she talked most composedly about what had tran spired between her and her Husban d t he day and
n n f his e ll el n eve i g o d ath , which I wi t l you whe we
She sa s he was m re c eerf l and s a meet . y o h u joyou th t
r n day and even ing than he had been fo r yea s . Whe at dinn er he complained o f being worn out with t he in
ssan ls f h da and r se t h ce t toi o t e y , p opo d to go to e
n r t h n r s he Theatre a d have a laugh ove e Cou t y Cou in . S
s S h s ra e n o n a f a ad a say e di cou g d goi g , ccount o b he d a e he n s s e a he m s o fo r if he s a e at ch , but i i t d th t u t g , t y d home he would have n o rest fo r he would be obliged to see company all t he evening as usual .
n n h h o she l n Fi di g that e ad decided to g , cou d ot
n o f a n him o her ne er a n fel so thi k h vi g g without , v h vi g t
h l s un willing to be away from him . S e set c o e to him and w as lean ing o n his lap looking up in his face when t he fa al s w as re his las r s e n in ans er t hot fi d , t wo d b i g w to “ her question What will Miss Harris thin k o f my hang ” “ ’ in g o n to you s o — She won t think anyt hing about ” it — an d said accompan ied with o ne o f his kin d an d ’ fl i n l Yes a l e ress n is a ec o at e sm es . t i , th t ook xp io stamped upon her s oul too indelibly to ever be effaced
me and it s re lle n ll ne er fa l s e an by ti , co ctio wi v i to ooth d m r h r ffl in his co fo t e in her hours o f darkest a iction . God mercy will sanctify this person al and National affliction fo r rea n r l nl g t good , a d this is my g eatest and a most o y
n s la n n n co o tio u der t he terrible bereaveme t . I feel that there is no selfishn ess mixed up with my
s rr . Th ss f r ff m er o ow e lo o M . Lincoln will no t a ect y p s n al n eres s n fa ra l a e reas n be o i t t u vo b y . I h v good o to [ 133 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS lieve that Presiden t John son will do all fo r me that
r s en n ln l o r l a e ne h P e id t Li co cou d wou d h v do , but t e great attraction fo r remain in g here has been taken away ; yet it would n o t be right to refuse to stay here as t he representative o f o ur Pacific interests in t he Depart
n s s l t he ele a n n s s n a s e me t , hou d D g tio i i t upo it , th y un ll l ll . leas so sa s e am . Th doubted y wi At t , y Judg Wi i s e ’ rlan s matter won t be settled until Mr . Ha take charge
r he n r r n he 15 h f M o f t he Depa tment o f t I te io o t t o ay .
h n r an n e e n arlan an M This w as t e u de st di g b tw e H d r. a ss Lincoln when I left for Richmond . It m y po ibly ’ n n r f t he arran emen turn out that Joh so won t ati y g t , ’ The eneral m ress but I don t thin k he will refuse . g i p ion
l arr Mr is a he ll a s nearl as ss e c . , th t wi , y po ib , y out ’ I n er r s n s t he n ln s l lan s . Li co po icy p oth wo d , fi i h up work t he immortal Lincoln had begun an d so nearly
h r o f he a n ll eman completed . T e g eat body t N tio wi d d this o f him . m s m ear ear fe ear o ur se ara n You u t y D , D Wi b p tio
Let us an a with all t he patience possible . th k God th t
er in s w a and we are permitted to commune togeth thi y ,
a a n o n ear a that should it be we do no t meet g i th , th t by his all prevailing grace and mercy we will meet in
n Heave . ANS ON
— I r e l a f l e t he earse in P . S . fo got to t l you th t I o low d h t he funeral procession in t he third carriage a s o ne o f t he
l l s ass ne me t he mars all fami y . The p ace wa ig d to by h ,
n ln . w as as I s uppose o n t he suggestion o f Mrs . Li co I seated with t he mourners in t he East Room where t he sen a c Funeral Ceremon ies were performed . I d you opy
— o f them en closed The sermon o f Doctor Gurley .
[ 13 4 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
a da o r ere saw se y two th , tho you did . Mr. Bentley
r e me fr m e r o ne da s w ot o D t oit , y , thi week , said he
l r a l be in a ne c ee . wou d p ob b y Chi go , xt w k He appears ,
be a er n r m ea e an . Jud e to v y ki d h t d g Davis , ha s been
l n c r in ca ca le s r ho di g ou t Chi go , l d out aid ve y co m lacentl am la see r p y , I g d , to you a e s o well situated out here remar e a ere as l k d , th t th w n o t t he east indication a C— o r an other lace bes w th t y p , would to a house we m s a e content urse es ar n r u t h v to o lv , with bo di g . I e “ e ar no lon er n l a a ne s r n in I . ter pli d , I bo d g th xt p i g l , f that if we s ll a e be va rants refer n s , ti h v to g , I p bei g o , in an s a e ra er an ere ever man in h s y t t , th th wh y , t e tate , es m s an ee H s ow y Hu b d a d p debt o f gratitude . e aid , “ ” l a e R ! re l s er Wi l you t k obt with you too I p ied , mo t c ” — t ainl he es ere . re is n h y , go wh I do The o doubt e ,
D n ers entirel n h l n s f e t e fee h . Judge . , t y i to i g o t e S
cl . m n n n rs mith ique I e tio ed , that I had u de tood , that S , ha een m ms l s s ll n l s as er d b aking hi e f, a i y a d ma iciou ev , n n by e deavouring to turn my best frien ds i N . Y . “ ”
l . a a n s me . H a ll h l n t e e e g i t e said n ot t a , e cou d o b i v it “
l him r m ll was so . n ot I to d ve y e phatica y , it I did
all o r er elm n mention any n ames to him . With u ov wh i g
~ so rro ws what enem es we a e c n en . , i do h v to o t d with
an ass re em ere a is fr m no feel n of I c u th h , th t it o i g
ra o r fo r them a a e re urne here g titude love , , th t I h v t d is n ense sel s and ul ra er reall Judge D . i t ly fi h , wo d th , I y
e e refer see s as we are a me o r b liev , p to u , , without ho ,
he r s f ra er an a e us c mf r a le t p o pect o o ne , th th h v o o t b it is en durance vile— I ass ure you— and n o prospect o f a
el e e in m ear a are reall t he remedy . I b i v y h t th t you y , l s r s fo r all l s n r s s n ere fr en ef u . on y di i te e ted , i c i d , t I t u t
n nes s ll e en a le re a s me o f . your ki d se , I wi b b d to p y o it
s er a nf l s ass re a had It wa v y p i u to u , I u you , th t you to
had f n l e a l a e return home . I o d y hop d , th t you wou d h v
n and we l a e rece e fre en been settled i W . wou d h v iv d qu t [ 13 6 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
m Mrs . nr m r visits fro you He y , who I emember with
Al s l r l affe n . a a as o u fam es ar s much ctio , , i i , e both itu
e n n sa n men s ef r s— n ated alik , othi g but di ppoi t t b o e u a d
s f s n s are s e men s o f mer n s if my el o , p ci , A ica ju tice,
er e e . God Help , oth p opl l s n r en en . am a d a as h I have w itt to S Wi li , h ve yet , ad l — a r es e him nf rm no rep y I h ve equ t d to i o me , o f t he
saf mean s o sen n s me ar es — r first e , f di g o ticl to you o u
r es fear ar n es ne rema n in h poo box , I , e lo g d ti d to i t e h r se . es not sen fo r t e re wa ehou s I thought it b t , to d , p s
e la ms Mr . r s . m m n s a er ent , thos c i to B ook So e o th l t ,
An n we do is s e r a be e er. e pe h ps , it would b tt y thi g iz d “ — An es e al wa o f e n are fo r t he mer ou p ci y , b i g c d , by A i ” l R er is so rr e a am s c so can peop e . ob t wo i d , th t I i k
h has r as a ea r n much , that e pu ch ed n t cove ed buggy, i
h an r e his rse er se he sa s he l which e c d iv ho , oth wi y wou d ’ his f e las f l n l he rse . was a r s t o t se l t ho As it th gi t , I cou d
n s al e e w e ll e r r con se t to thi , though , I xp ct , wi h a e
r s a o ur rc as n a — I e ea ma k , bout pu h i g buggy do hop , d r
r l r e s er fre en l — a Docto , you wi l w it u v y qu t y wh t woul d
I n o t give to have o ne o f o ur o ld chats together again . — h R f en remar s t e same . ann e ress . o t k I c ot xp , how An l lonely and desolate we are . d you have been a most
o ur n fr en in o ur ee ee affl n . ease re o ly i d d p , d p ictio Pl p
s nr m n r sen m c e Mr . e s ee be e t u h lov to H y , who u t i d d l i ed see . r e a a n in a e a jo c to you I wi l w it you g i f w d ys ,
f e s n en e if he calls . r n a t r eei g B tl y , Do w ite at least o ce a week .
an Ta sen m . Robt . d d d uch love
r r l r You t u y attached f iend , MARY LINCOLN
[ 13 7 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
MRS . MARY LINCOLN TO DR . ANS ON HENRY G .
HYDE PARK PLACE l 6 h— 65 , Ju y 2 t ar D My De r.
r e a few a s s n O Although , I w ot you , d y i ce , by t he ver
an R e et remem er n a a s eam r l l d out , y b i g th t t e sai s , next a r a a e ncl e sen f n S tu d y , I h v co ud d , to d you , a ew li es . I did no t receive your letter from Panama and I have l written to Senator Wil iams he has no t replied . I have n n m re s no w ll this lace h m othi g o ju t to te you , p as beco e
m le e a e r e e a necessit r res s a co p t B b l I g i v , th t y equi u , m h in s wa . en e fr t r o nven to live , thi y B tl y , o e Det oit C “ l n n ame er . as s a he was n o tio , c ov to C u u , hopi g , ” hoping ever —there is a very dim prospect o f success I see a o ne o f t he r f h r n e think . I th t Edito s o t e Sp i gfi ld , a R n n s n o ss . . a er a m a s Mr . lf a d i w M p p , cco p ie Co ax
hr w cold him in al f rn a . s Mr. Bowles l t o with C i o i Thi , wil ’ wa ter fear n an f r r t he r ne s eff r s— in , I o y o you o T ibu o t
h s r s in t he al . a e is not a me t e ar e fe e i C T ddi t ho , c l t v , Dr se a a ar s ere he da her o f . hou l dy who bo d h , t ug merl ne and n e e o f Mrs . e mas f r Boo i c Judg Tho , who o y h sease . n r se fo r ear f e lived in S now i C . p opo d f o t di , ’ m a n a e her er s in he n r . a t ki g T ddi up to Moth , t cou t y I s o m sera le is a nf ar him e en fo r a i b , it p i ul to p t with , v
is s h s e has ma e da et e e u b a a . a e y , y it b t , ho ld w y T ddi , d l e as an arm fr en s in h se . e as se m y w i d , t e hou I liv , c ud d , v r s n fo r a me ere e e a a ma er o f rse . , tt cou I lo g ho , wh I
r n r e R . e . a a can bury myself my sorrows . S c H l w ot
e er f o f all manner o f e ses a not a a l tt , ull xcu bout p
n — h s l sel s s s all poi ting yo u e is inten e y fi h I tru t , I h
n n . s r we are not never see a y o f them agai I am u e , as
r the r O es is in n in e no es e . . ow pow , y do t d i it Gov gl by a and a ear in o f he lea n urna s Chic go , it pp ed two t di g Jo l
h es er r n e fr m o f t e city , y t day , pu porti g to be copi d , o “ ” s r n s r rs n had a rea Bo ton T a c ipt , that M . Lincol l dy [ 13 8 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DO CTORS
c mf r us in o ur o wn er elm n s rr o o t to , ov wh i g o ow , to have r I n r had n ea us . s ea r al i f you both thi g t t i , it s di ficult be a res na n t he nl to t ught ig tio , o y comfort that re ma n s us is t he lesse c n s la n r i to , b d o o tio , that o u beloved
nes are re c n in e r ea enl m fr o , joi i g th i H v y Ho e , ee from all earthy trials in t he holy presence o f God his an els are s n n t he ra ses o f h Re eemer t e . n g , i gi g p i d I lo g , la m o wn ear ea n res to y y w y h d , dow to t , by t he side o f
m arl n s an . ra ran m s f y d i g hu b d I p y God , to g t e u ficien t
ra e a a his me f r l n r s g c , to w it ti , o I o g to be at e t . With
m l e s an no t s r m n n out y ido iz d hu b d , I do wi h to e ai o earth . ll n Mr . Wm . . en r ca e a da o r s . s T H y, d y two i ce I wa confined to my bed did n o t see him . Robert saw him
f r m er mm a el n he le t your teleg a . Rob t i edi t y wrote o
a s n n r n and lea n fo r he n to W hi gto , u gi g p di g , t appoi t
n r s r s h l me o f o n in law . a r e t you We p y t u t t e app a ,
be ran e . a e no ne m ear fr en will g t d You h v o , y d i d , who
l ss l fee fo r as r r ef is m n cou d po ib y l you , I do , you g i i e, in am n er m wn s ns l s e t h it , I livi g ov y o di co o ate tat e ’ ra e we fee f r he e r r s re en s m g titud l , o t d a Docto c t , y
a fo r us in all n s e er t he rea l e p thy , thi g tog th with g t ov l we a l re him ma es r r les m o wn . bo , k you t oub y How
m c s e nearer us . We c en u h , I wi h , you liv d to ould th , h r ee e er er r r r . T e w p tog th , ov o u d ea y lot wo ld , without m el e s an r es fr en is a sad and y b ov d hu b d o u b t i d , l nel la n O r r l le fam l l be a o y p ce e ough . u poo itt i y , wou d
l m r r n n s has a ear g oo y pictu e , fo a y o e to ee , who h t to
Dr . enr ef fee . w as re r al m en l It a g at t i , to e, wh H y l t
ere n ne a w as na le a e access s me h i Ju , th t I u b to h v to o
es s re in a are se ere was e s e a box , to d w hou , wh d po it d ’ ane f m s n s a l r e fam l le s me c o y hu ba d , a g i y Bib , o
er n s es n e fo r resen a n t he Dr . oth thi g , d ig d p t tio to So s n a s an et em s all a a l m self o f t he oo I c g to th , I h v i y , ff r rs r n s n m . can e fi t oppo tu ity , o f endi g the to you I o [ 140 ] LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
in c nc s n o f s er s ad e er m ear Mrs . you o lu io , thi v y l tt , y d
nr er l le m ear He y , v y itt consolation , fo r I a so w y
a la en m self r er n c n 'ern n he vy d y , ove ev ythi g , o c i g us
. r s ll r me fo r are er ear both I t u t you wi w ite to , you v y d me n e er . to , o w v
re ar s r f m l rema n al a s With g d to you a i y , I i w y
r fr en You attached i d , MARY LINCOLN
[ 141 ] A PPE N D I ! B
E O R . BE K E NOT S N D RO RT ING STON , PHYSICIAN TO PR ESIDENT LINCOLN AND HIS FAMILY
K . E s DR . R . TON wa rn in 1822 in as n n S bo W hi gto , in s C . a e l his f . u a er m . n D , ho bui t by th , W G . Sto e , at t he c rner o f 14 and ree s N h a 0 . W. t e o f 2 o th F St t , At ge , R his A . 184 he re e . in 2 fr m r ceiv d , , o P inceton Un iver D i n his . 1 s t a d M . in 845 fr m h y , , o t e Un iversity o f
enn s l n f er ra a n n a a . he e r n P y v i A t g du tio , w t to Eu ope a d a en e t he cl n cs o f n r ar s an nn a tt d d i i Edi bu gh , P i , d Vie ,
a n s e a a en n s r p yi g p ci l tt tio to tudy o f t he eye and ea .
Fo r s me me he w as a r l r s I n o ti , p ivate pupi o f Duma re .
1847 he r rne as n n n r s , etu d to W hi gto a d a year late wa appointed Professor o f An atomy and Physiolo gy at
a e a l e s a r a r n l e Columbi M dic l Co l ge . Thi ch i l te i c ud d r sc ca na m and s ll a er h was ma e Mic o opi l A to y , ti l t , e d r f ss r f O a m an r l r I n 1860 he P o e o o phth l ic d Au a Surge y . , was a Professor o f Clinical Surgery to t he National
l in as n n an r m 185 8 1861 Medical Col ege W hi gto , d f o to , President o f t he Board o f Health o f t he District o f
3 1 865 h r a a a r f re t he m . n Ma e Colu bia O y , , e e d p p be o
l o f he s r o a s r n Medica Society t Di t ict f Columbi , de c ibi g t he death and autopsy findings o f President Lincoln . 1860 Dr ne was r n fr m his and About , . Sto th ow o buggy s ff r a fra re m elle him m u e ed ctu d hip , which co p d to li it His his practice chiefly to hospital and office work .
a fa e a er and le o n a r a e a he lth il d l t , whi t ip to Phil d lphi ,
nl f a n r l 23 18 2 at t he he died sudde y o poplexy o Ap i , 7 5 0 age o f . [ 142 ]
A PPEN D I ! C
LIST OF AUTHORITIES CONSULTED
’ l Ne r rn n s nc n . ca w S an r n He do Li o Chi go , Yo k, F a cisco l m n 1 8 Belford , C ark Co pa y , 8 9 .
h ln . s e . s T e Real Linco By Jes e W . W ik Bo ton and New i i 1 r : n M ffl n . 923 . Yo k Houghto Co ,
r r n . l Ab aham Lincoln : A Histo y . By Joh G Nico ay and
H N r n r 1 n a . ew : T e o . 8 0 Joh y Yo k he C tu y C , 9 .
m r s f r m n l Co plete Wo k o Ab aha Li co n . Edited by John
l an n H . s r . c a d a e n N G Ni o y Joh y G tty bu g Editio , ew
r : ran s . n . 1 05 Yo k F ci D Ta dy Co , 9 . n h f f l e T e e o r am nc n . I . App dix, Li Ab ah Li o By da M
l l r 1 ar el . McC u e l s o . 900 T b , Phi lip C , .
l . n fe f r am n ln . l r I n Li o Ab ah Li co By Wi iam E Ba t o .
- ian a lis : s rr l . 19 d po Bobb Me i l Co , 25 . h n T e m n n ll . ar n . n Wo e Li col Loved . By Wi iam E B to I i n l s - l 1 d a a i : s rr . . po Bobb Me i l Co , 927
Th n l l n . e l a . ar n Lineage of Li co n . By Wi i m E B to I di
- l s rr l . 1 ana s : e o 92 . po i Bobb M i l C , 9 l n ln a Ree . e ers Li co at New S em. By Thomas P . p P t r l n s 1927 bu g , I li oi , ’ n l n s s n Li co n s Parentage a d Childhood . By Loui Au ti
1 26 . arr n . N w r : The n r o . 9 W e e Yo k Ce tu y C , ” A n rr n b n ln K n Ra m a e . e Li co , e tucky Boy . By y o d W 1 ca : The Re ll Lee o . 193 . Chi go i y C , h T n s . r n . e e ca e Black Hawk War . By F a k E St v Chi go
ran . e en s 1 03 . F k E St v , 9 N n rs n r e r e nla man . ew Joh Ma h , Pio ee . By G o g Du p Ly ’
r : arles cr ner s ns 193 0 . Yo k Ch S ib So , er a f f ra m n ln arles ranc s Ev yd y Li e o Ab ha Li co . By Ch F i m s r . r n s : . . n B owne Newpo t a d St . Loui N D Tho p o
l s n . 1886 Pub i hi g Co , . [ 144 ] LIN COLN AN D THE DOCTORS
nc n in t he a na a al . en Abraham Li ol N tio l C pit By All C .
as n n . C . 1925 . Clark . W hi gto , D , m n ln : a New r ra . an e Abraham Li co Po t it By E u l Hertz .
r er I nc . 1 93 1 . New York : Ho ace Liv ight , ,
l er rac . s n Uncollected Letters . By Gi b t T y Bo to New
19 17 . n Mifflin Co . York : Houghto , m New Letters an d Papers o f Lincoln . Co piled by Paul n nd New r : n Mi n e . s a fflin M . A gl Bo to Yo k Houghto
Co . , 193 0 .
R n s n s f t h ar r r Person al emi i ce ce o e M ty ed P esident . By
l am a ne . ca 1900 . Dr . Wil i J y Chi go ,
m rs . n . r n n a Personal Me oi By Joh H B i to , M jor and
N r Th l S . V . ew : e ea e l r n . s n Su geo , U Yo k N Pub i hi g
Co . , 1914 .
n r With Malice Toward None . By Ho o e Willsie Mo r
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r m n ln . a a L c s R e r e . Ab h i o um Sweat . By G o g P Floyd ’ McClure s a a n e n r 1908 M g zi , Ja ua y, .
Our res en s O al n s n . P id t ut o f Doors . By C vi Dill Wil o ’ M l r 1 cC e s a n n r 08 . u M gazi e , Ja ua y , 9 M nc n at s r n Ma Vea h . c Li ol Getty bu g . By Way e c g ’ Clure s a n 1 a e em r 909 . M g zi , Nov be , The n A 1 1 864 e r 6 . Livi g g Jan ua y ,
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I NDE ! OF NA M ES
10 C m r n Rev . ohn 9 A o Dr. a e o bb tt, , , J , C m ro n S mo n 90 . W 1 14 a e A o Dr. E bb tt, , i ,
C r r B . 37 6 A ell Dr . enn e 21 ar en e an b , B tt, p t , F k , ,
Ch l Dr. Ch rl s 13 F . 2 er a e Adams , Dr. Richard , 5 an d , ,
rs . S . B 14 9 Ch l r M . Allen , Dr. Harriso n , 8 and e , L All n r hn 17 18 19 20 Ch l n s 14 e D . o , J , , , , , i d , Li u ,
5 9 Ch n en . E. 91 itte d , L ,
An le Pa l M . vn Clar Dr . . P erce 3 6 g , u , k, L i , l I s ac N 124 C r ill am 1 13 Arn o d, a la k, W i , C l x Sch ler 104 o fa , uy , T mas 5 1 Dr . o he A . 90 Co nan h Bac , D t, ,
m C . 3 3 K. 2 4 C es rn s Dr. o se h 9 1 1 n l n a Ba e , J p , , , o k i g, J ,
l s H . 1 14 1 16 Crane, Dr. Char e , ,
Dr . r . 4 Dr. . V. A . ll Hen C 9 C r C . C Barre , y , rawfo d , ,
Ol er R . 65 129 C r o s ah 5 6 Barrett, iv , , rawfo d , J i , ,
K. 62 l D . l ho ow r Ro er 98 Cr h rs Dr . E i Bart , b t, o t e , ,
o n ll am E. 3 2 43 C h rs Dr. Mar e L . 63 Bart , Wi i , , ro t e , i ,
ll Dr. San o r 49 Be , f d ,
ll ws Rev . Henr 90 E r S 99 e o W l on Dr. wa B , y Da t , d d
Dr . 124 enn e Newt o n R char n h Dr. ll s B tt, ! i d Da fo rt , Wi i , 16 s a 33 Davi , D vid , e er e Al er 3 25 D Nat han S 92 s r. B v idg , b t G , Davi , ,
Dr. n l Blades, Fra k in , 5 2 124
l Dr . S . C 124 ll am 5 9 a e s Dr. B k , Davi , Wi i ,
Bo a] Dr. Ro ert 5 1 ll r I saa 5 3 5 4 5 6 , b , Di e , c, , , o h o hn l es 1 1 1 N 5 3 o ll r R . B t , J Wi k , Di e ,
w n Henr Chan ler 1 . 0 o e 5 xo n Dr . N 5 B , y d , Di , J
D . 60 H 96 . 47 r o n r. o hn l s S e hen A B itt , J , Do ug a , t p , ,
ro o s No ah 68 107 l F . 25 4 ra e Dr. an e B k , , , D k , D i , , l 1 1 9 1 ro n Char es mas W. r ss r Dr. Tho B w , D D e e , , r n Dr A M . 5 0 44 o n . . u l Dr. Ben B w i g, , D d ey, , r ll wn n O H . 24 1 1 2 ro e 6 Dr. ason B i g, vi , , Dun can , J ,
r an Dr. Henr 98 B y t, y,
se Sam l C . 5 2 5 3 14 1 1 e 3 E l o N . r Dr. ac Bu y, u , , , a y, J b ,
E r Mrs . N n an 70 dwa ds, i i , ,
Ca an s Dr. 20 130 b i , , Elder, A . R . , Calho un o hn 12 E rre 45 l n Dr. a , J , ki , G tt, LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
l ar La Rue 3 Henr Dr . Anso n G . 26 28 En o w , M y , y, , ,
Essex, Dr. Tho mas , 2
Mrs . n s n 4 . 1 1 Henr A E Dr . A 2 o 7 an s . v , W , y , G , m 92 n le Dr. Cle en A Fi y, t m 1 Hern o n ll am H 24 33 h an Dr. ll a 5 Fit i , Wi i , d , Wi i , l m n Samuel 62 F e i g, , H l T 0 m . 14 l eo r e P . 60 enr l a F o yd , G g , y , Wi i ,
H Dr. Aust C . 89 lo M rs . eo r e P . 60 ewet t n F yd , G g , , i ,
H Dr. 5 0 o n W. 48 n s Fo rn ey , J h , iggi , ,
9 H l Dr. Erat us Eu en e 6 r . S . 4 o t l r D . E Fo w e , , , g ,
D muel . 90 . 5 0 H r . S Dr . D o we a G Freeman , Jo hn , , ,
D . . F . 49 . 5 2 H r n Dr . N . S u hes C Freema , , g , ,
. W. 5 0 French, Dr. A , l 1 23 m Dr . N I sha , Ra ph , li 2 I es Dr . E 9 llaher Aus n 4 v , , Ga , ti , m 79 Gallo w ay , S a , 77, rsh m 19 45 a n e Dr. e o D 14 J y , G , , ch Dr. C . . 1 Gat , , n ul a 3 1 Jay e, J i , e r Allen 8 G nt y , , ill am 46 5 4 a ne Dr. 1 J y , W i , , , Gillespie, Jo seph , 6 r 2 Go o dlet t er, Dr. Ebeneze , I a 120 Jo hn so n , Dr. t , h m M n o r 13 Gra a , e t ,
ran Ul sses S . 100 108 G t, y , , kl El za e h 81 122 Kec ey , i b t , ,
ra Dr. o hn P 104 G y, J r 1 1 1 Keene, Lau a , r Reu en 5 9 G igsby, b , Al r . A . 1 12 r . e Kin g , D b t F , r s Sarah n coln sister 2 G ig by , Li , , , 5 h Dr . r n an Kuec ler, Fe di d , 5 9 r . 5 0 Kizner, D , 5 0 Grismo re, Dr. ,
Ph neas D . 1 16 4 83 ur e ev. m n ar G l y, R i , , La o , W d , , T o mas 92 . h 134 Laws o n , Dr , arles 1 1 1 Leale, Dr. Ch A 1 14 Hall, Dr. Neal, 1 17
H ml n Hann al 85 104 L e Ro er E. 1 10 a i , ib , , e , b t , H m H 9 1 Theo o re 4 ammo n d , Dr . Willia , Lemo n , Dr . d ,
H . 1 14 Dr . C . Lieberman , ,
H s enn s 4 n co ln A raham rand a. ank , D i , Li , b , g f H N n c see n co ln anks, a y , Li , 1 A raham rand Nancy Hanks Lin coln , b , g l s a 90 1 26 H . arris , Dr E i h ,
Ha ch Oz as M . 44 nco ln a hshe a t , i , Li , B t b , l 4 ther 1 Hat ch, Pasca , 4 mo , hn 68 1 04 107 n coln E war a er son Hay , Jo , , , Li , d d B k ,
H M r t h S . 49 5 4 Dr. e e elm, di , , [ 15 0 ]
LINCOLN AND THE DOCTORS
m S m so n Dr . a es 89 To Mar see i p , J , dd, y , Linco ln , Small Ru us 1 07 To , f , dd
Sm t h A ela e W. 100 Trea Samu l H e . i , d id , t, , 3 3 rl lm 1 0 Sm h Dr . Cha s an 2 it , e Gi , ,
Ut er o er P R . v11 t , b t , m s 5 ml v . a 5 S t h, R e J e ,
SmIt h VICt o r’ , Van uren Mar B , t in , 3 1 a rand Sparro w, Lucy H nks, g Van Buren Dr W H 90 m” 1 m , Dr . V n cent . A . 5 0 i , J , S hu 3 0 3 1 peed, Jo s a F , V n on R ev . ran c s 82 i t , F i , S M r 3 0 peed , a y , Ann 5 3 S r s M rs . p igg , , hl m h Wa e ut Dr . Henr 5 g , y, S E M . 92 102 t an t o n , dwin , , , a eman A ram 48 104 W k , b ,
al er Dr . ero m 10 W k , J e, 0 S arr o hn W. V l l t , J ,
ll Dr . r Wa ace , Cha les , 5 1 S D m F . hen so n r . en a n tep , B j i , ll m 4 a ace Dr . ll a 4 45 20 21 W , Wi i , , , 76 S ewart o ren zo 1 05 t , L , ar Ar emus 1 03 K 105 W d, t , S r E . o n e D . . t , , l l Warfie d Dr . E sha 44 K 1 , i , S o n e Dr . Ro ert n 78 8 t , b i g , , ,
alt ers Mrs . Pe 3 W , ggy , 86, 94, 101 , 1 08, 1 14 , 1 16 , rn o ll 7 Wa ick, P y , 142, 143 rn ll m 7 Wa ick, Wi ia , S uar o hn T. 26 29 33 t t, J , , ,
e esse W. 3 3 40 5 6 l W ik, J , , , l r . l m 2 Su cer, D Wi ia , lles eo n 84 85 We , Gid , , S e eo nar 3 3 124 w tt, L d , ,
Hen r C . Whit ney , y ,
ll ms Dr. o se 10 Wi ia , J ph J Taa Dr . A . 5 0 pe, ,
lso n Ro er L . 3 4 T l S 1 12 1 16 Wi , b t , a Dr . Char es ft, , 88 . S . o l Dr . T le c er 49 W f, G , al o Dr . h b t, F t ,
o o Dr . Ro er C . 90 T l r Z har 14 47 W d, b t , ay o , ac y , , ll m 5 9 Wo o d, Wi ia , T Dr . F . 1 18 eever, . W , 104 h Dr . a M Wrig t, D vid , , m Dr . . . 5 1 Tho pso n , S G ,
man D r . effries 90 r 1 14 Wy , J , To dd , Dr. Beeche ,
To Dr . eo r e 44 dd , G g , 44 4 Z r I sachaar 1 02 To dd , Dr . Jo hn , , 5 acha ie, ,
Five hundred an d fifty copies o f this edition of
Lincoln an the Doctors a n d h ve bee printed , at the
f a a a press o the George B nt Publishing Comp ny ,
a 15 193 3 . Menash , Wisconsin , April ,
‘Z77 This is copy number / and is signed by