Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-11
wAsHINGTON's DEATH.
The Disease That Probably Carried
Him or.
Near North Post-Omce,

Near North Post-Office,
Mathews county, Va, April IL, 1881.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
In the Dispatch of March 9th last
l noticed an article headed THE Death
of Washington" wherein the writer,
quoting from DIR. James EwelA went on
to say that General Washington died OF
''quinsy," giving the symptoms 10 snow
that il was quinsy, and also some or the
treatment, particularly the blood-lettings,
the time Of his death, &c
The DR.. Ewell referred TO, l think. was
the father of Colonel Ben. Ewell tOld
Buck. Of William and Mary College; and
army Their sister Miss Rebecca Eweil,
and their mother lived on farm called
STONY Lonesome" four miles from
Bristoe Station, IN Prince William coun-
was a very well read and learned physi.
clan. as Is evidenced from MS medical
writings. but let us see about that quinsy.
Rarper's Magazine for November, 1870
page 46i. gives an article tnat was orlsi-
nally printed I'm the New York Gazette
and General Advertiser of Saturday, De-
, cember q. 1899, the first paragraph Oh
which reads as follows:
1T is with the deepest grief that we
announce to the public the death OF our
nant-General George Washington He
died at Mt. Vernon on Saturday evening.
the 18th instant. of an infammatory az
lection of the throat, which put a period
to his existence in twenty-three hours
CYNANCHE TRACHEALIS.
DR.. /. X. Mitchell, then Professor Of
Practice OF Medicine in the Jefferson
Medical College of Philadelphia in one Of
his lectures before the class In 1855 on
"Cynanche Trachealis," after saying that
he, himself. had been born In log cabin
In old Virginia and some other prelimi-
..l eA..e Il - ~.
very disease of which General George
Washington had died. and went on 10
give a synopsis of the symptoms and
treatment I'm that case, comparing ana
explaining the great difference between
true cynanche and ordinary influenza. or
uuinsy, as II is sometimes called. Con-
tinuing, he gave US his notions Of what
ought TO be done in similar cases of this
terribly malady. At the same time. while
cautionng us all particularly against any
blood-lettings or depletives Of any kird.
ne advised the use of powerful stimu-
lating diaphoretics antiphlogistics, and
not warm, but hot topical applications,
etc, and that II 1t came 10 the worst, then
to stand by for tracheotomy.
HAD IT HIMSELF.
Having sojourned In English waters the
entire summer In her first attempt AT
laying the Atlantic cable the United
States steamer-frigate Niagara sailed
from Plymouth on the 5th OF November,
1851 and on the afternoon of November
the 18th was nearing the vicinity OF
Sandy Hook. The pilot had been. taken
on board in the forenoon, together with a
bundle of the latest New York papers.
and every one was in high spirits. .espe-
cially at the idea OF visiting that city In
warm. with little or no breeze. the
sea smooth, and all hands We're dressed
as we had been during the
summer At p. NJ, however, whilst the
watch on deck" was being relieved, the
ship was suddenly struck by the chilling
blast OF terrific Northwestern, and IL con-
tinued 10 blow so for many, days after
wards. In steaming up from Sandy Hook
TO the Brooklyn navyyard the next
morning il was so cold that the spray
froze as II struck the decks. The sudden
change was indeed whitening, and oui
sensitive nerves were terribly shocked
No stoves, no comfort, the engine-roon
and the galley being the most attractive
parts Of the ship. almost every one OF Us
took a bad cold in some form or other
and so things went on for many days
Receiving orders 10 report Immediately tc
Captain Thomas II. Brent for duty or
board the United States ship Marion. a
Norfolk, Va, ] left New York, but the
trouble with my throat became so dis
tressing that | was compelled to stop. a
my home, In Prince William county. Va.
where / found myself with the fully-de
yeloped symptoms OF this very same ina
lgnant" disease. Calling 10 my assist
ance DR.. H. A. (Guss) Jennings. formerl,
of Warrenton, Va, and remembering
what DR.. Mitchell had told us, We carried
out his instructions. In twenty-four hour,
the symptoms relaxed and conyalescenc'
ensued. but ! escaped the tracheotoml
part. I'm hoe signo vinces."
Have often thought since that had !
not been for DR.. Mitchell. the newspaper
OF that time would have stated that IAN
other member OF the Washington famil,
had had a period put TO his existence b.
this very same dreadful affection, q
the same number OF hours. and about tn,
Same time OF the year.
H. w. NJ. WASHINGTON,
Surgeon formerly United 6tates and ex
c.rfod0rata States Navfea