The Wilmingtonian., 1888-06-09
How General Washington Died.

Hedical and Physical Journal, published in
London in the year 1700, by SET. Bradley,
MD, r. Bailey. MD, and A. A. Neehden,
M. d." there will be found on page 400 a
description or report Of the last illness of
Washington, and the treatment given him.
At present, it is interesting as an example Of
too much doctoring, to say tine least. 1t is as
follows:
"Some time on the night of Friday, the
10Th inst, having been exposed to rain on
the preceding day, General Washington was
attacked with an infammatory affection of
the upper part of the wind pipe, called in
technical language cynachet rdnchealis. The
disease commenced with a violent ague, ac-
companied with some pain in the upper and
fore part of the throat, sense of structure
in the same part, and difficult, rather than
painful deglutition, which was soon sue
ceeded by fever and quick and laboriohs
respiration. The necessity of blood letting
suggested itself to the general; he procured
a bleeder in the neighborhood, who took
from his arm in the night twelve Or fourteen
ounces of blood.
He could not, by any means, be prevailed
on by the family to send for his attending
phpsician till the following morning, who
arrived at Mount Vernon at about II O'Clock
on Saturday. Discovering the case to be
highly alarming, and foreseeing the fatal
tendency of the disease, two consulting
physicians were Immediately sent for, who
arrived, one at g. 80 and the other at o'clock
In the afternoon. In the meantime he en-
ployed two pretty copious bleedings, blis-
doses Of calomel were given, and an injection
administered, which operated on the lower
intestines, but all without percertble ad-
vantage, the respiration becoming still more
difficult and distressing. Upon the arrival
of the first of the consulting physicians, it
was agreed, as there were no signs of ac-
cumulation in the bronchial vessels of the
lungs, to try the result of another bleeding,
when about thirty-two ounces were drawn
without the smallest apparent alleviation Of
the disease. Yapors of vinegar and water
,rara fr,ouantIy ;nbaIod ran o,ro ;po of oaln
mel were given, succeeded by frequent doses
of tartar emetic, amounting to five or six
grains, with no other effect than a copious
discharge from the bowels.
"The powers of life seemed now manifest
II ysitidis, ~ r.4e force of s-Es a.E9zaeI. ais-
ters were applied to the extremities, to-
gether with cataplasm of vinegar and bran
to the throat Speaking, which was painful
from the beginning, Eow became almost i'm
practicable Respiration grew more and
more contracted and imperfect till 1130 on
Saturday night, retaining the full possession
of his intellect, when he expired without
struggle. When was fully impressed at the
beginning of his complaint, as well as through
every succeeding stage of it, that its copclu-
sion would be mortal; submitting to the
several exertions made for his recovery
rather as duty than from any expectation
of their efficacy.
He considered the operations of death
upon his system as coeval with disesse; and,
several hours before his death, after repeated
efforts to be understood, succeeded in ex.
pressing desire that he might DO permitted
to die without further interruption. During
the short period of his illness he ceonomized
his time in the arrangements of such few
concerns as required his attention with ths
utmost serenity, and anticipated his ap
proaching dissolution with every demonstra
tion of that equanimity for which his who'll
life had been so uniformly and sngularl!
conspicuous.
"JAMEs CLARK,
Attending Physician.
"ELIsHA c. Dick,
Consulting Physician"